[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 8 (Friday, January 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2428-2429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00456]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-11860; 2200-1100-665]
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Northwest Museum
of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, also known as the
Eastern Washington State Historical Society, in consultation with the
appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that the cultural items meet
the definition of unassociated funerary objects and repatriation to the
Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come
forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be
culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact the Northwest
Museum of Arts & Culture.
DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a
cultural affiliation with the cultural items should contact the
Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture at the address below by February 11,
2013.
ADDRESSES: Ms. Valerie Wahl, The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture,
Spokane, WA 99201, telephone (509) 363-5307.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25
U.S.C. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items in the
possession of the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, also the Eastern
Washington State Historical Society, Spokane, WA, that meet the
definition of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
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 cultural
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
[[Page 2429]]
History and Description of the Cultural Items
The funerary objects described below were excavated by Donald
Collier, Alfred E. Hudson, and Arlo Ford during the construction of the
Grand Coulee Dam and its reservoir (Lake Roosevelt) whose waters would
soon cover the area. This undertaking was known as ``The Columbian
Basin Archaeological Survey'' or the ``Collier, Hudson, and Ford
Project.'' It was a multi-institutional venture of the Eastern
Washington State Historical Society (now the Northwest Museum of Arts &
Culture), the University of Washington, and the State College of
Washington (now Washington State University). It was also a multi-
agency venture of the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Works Project Administration
(including the National Youth Administration).
In 1940, the Eastern Washington State Historical Society became the
repository for the collections of the project, as mandated by the
Bureau of Reclamation. Portions of the land from which the funerary
objects were removed were non-Federal lands, and other portions were
Federal lands at the time of removal. Moreover, the Federal lands fell
under the management authority of several different agencies.
Consequently, there has been a question of control over the collection.
After several years of research, the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
has been unable to determine additional specifics regarding the control
of objects from each site. Therefore, absent additional information,
the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture is assuming responsibility under
NAGPRA with regard to publishing this notice and repatriating the
unassociated funerary objects to the culturally affiliated tribe.
During the period July 1939 to September 1940, funerary objects
were systematically removed from Site 8 (45-ST-8) by Donald Collier,
Alfred E. Hudson, and Arlo Ford during the construction of the Grand
Coulee Dam and its reservoir (Lake Roosevelt). The objects were
accessioned by the Eastern Washington State Historical Society in 1940
(EWSHS Accession 1027). The one unassociated funerary object
is a projectile point.
During the period July 1939 to September 1940, funerary objects
were systematically removed from Site 48 (45-ST-48) by Donald Collier,
Alfred E. Hudson, and Arlo Ford during the construction of the Grand
Coulee Dam and its reservoir (Lake Roosevelt), The objects were
accessioned by the Eastern Washington State Historical Society in 1940
(EWSHS Accession 1027). The three unassociated funerary
objects are two copper ornaments and a blue glass bead.
The unassociated funerary objects described above are consistent
with cultural items typically found in context with Native American
burials in eastern Washington State. Furthermore, accession numbers, as
well as field notes and journal entries, indicate that the cultural
items were found in connection with human remains. Extensive museum
documentation, the geographic locations of the sites, burial patterns,
and consultation with the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation
verify that the cultural items were removed from sites that are within
the aboriginal territory of the bands of Indians now known as the
Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation.
Determinations Made by the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
Officials of the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture have determined
that:
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the four cultural items
described above are reasonably believed to have been placed with or
near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of
the death rite or ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance of the
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native
American individual.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the
unassociated funerary objects and the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane
Reservation.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should
contact Ms. Valerie Wahl, The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture,
Spokane, WA 99201, telephone (509) 363-5307, before February 11, 2013.
Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to the Spokane Tribe
of the Spokane Reservation may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture is responsible for notifying
the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation that this notice has been
published.
Dated: December 5, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-00456 Filed 1-10-13; 8:45 am]
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