[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5741-5742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1966]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: Public Utility District No. 1 of
Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA; Central Washington University,
Department of Anthropology and Museum, Ellensburg, WA; and Thomas Burke
Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington,
Seattle, WA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is here given in accordance with provisions of the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C.
3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains in the control
of Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA,
and in the possession of the Central Washington University, Department
of Anthropology and Museum, Ellensburg, WA, and Thomas Burke Museum of
Natural History and Culture (Burke Museum), University of Washington,
Seattle, WA. The human remains were removed from Okanogan County, WA.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3).
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Central
Washington University and Burke Museum professional staff in
consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the
Colville Reservation, Washington.
In 1963, human remains were removed from site 45-OK-52 in Okanogan
County, WA, under the supervision of Garland Grabert, a University of
Washington archeologist, as part of the fieldwork for the Public
Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County Wells Dam Project. Museum
records show the human remains from site 45-OK-52 were taken to the
Anthropology Department at the University of Washington, and
subsequently transferred to the Burke Museum (Accn. 1965-74). Many of
the individuals were subsequently transferred to other museums and/or
reburied.
In 2004, Central Washington University identified a minimum of one
individual from 45-OK-52 in their collection. Also in 2004, the Burke
Museum identified a minimum of one individual from this site in their
collection. No known individuals were identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
In 1963, human remains were removed from site 45-OK-66 in Okanogan
County, WA, under the supervision of Garland Grabert, a University of
Washington archeologist, as part of the fieldwork for the Public
Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County Wells Dam Project. Museum
records show the human remains, except for Burial 1, were taken to the
Anthropology Department at the University of Washington, and
subsequently transferred to the Burke Museum (Accn. 1955-74). Many of
the individuals were subsequently transferred to other museums and/or
reburied. The remainder of the individuals were subsequently
transferred to other museums and/or reburied.
In 2004, Central Washington University identified a minimum of
three individuals from 45-OK-66 in their collection. No known
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Site 45-OK-52 was a housepit village found along the shore of the
Columbia River just upstream of the mouth of the Okanogan River on
Cassimer Bar. Site 45-OK-66 is a cemetery, which paralleled the
Columbia River, upstream from the mouth of the Okanogan River.
[[Page 5742]]
Archeological evidence indicates that the burials found at sites
45-OK-52 and 45-OK-66 date to the prehistoric and historic period. The
most common method of interment was tightly flexed in a supine position
beneath a cedar cist and a rock cairn. This pattern is consistent in
all details, except the cist, with the ethnohistorically reported
mortuary practices of the Sinkaietk people of the southern Okanogan
River. Descendants of the Sinkaietk are members of the Confederated
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
The geographical location of the burials are consistent with the
prehistoric and historic territory of the Confederated Tribes of the
Colville Reservation, Washington. Consultation evidence provided by
representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation,
Washington indicates that Okanogan County is part of the traditional
and historically known occupation territory of the Confederated Tribes
of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
Officials of Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains
described above represent the physical remains of five individuals of
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Public Utility District No.
1 of Douglas County also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001
(2), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and the
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Lourdes
Henebry-DeLeon, NAGPRA Program Director, Department of Anthropology and
Museum, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7544,
telephone (509) 963-2671 before March 9, 2007. Repatriation of the
human remains to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation,
Washington may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come
forward.
Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County is responsible for
notifying the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation,
Washington this notice has been published.
Dated: December 21, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-1966 Filed 2-6-07; 8:45 am]
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