Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 24757-24758 [E6-6264]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24757-24758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6264]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: American Museum of 
Natural History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    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 American Museum 
of Natural History, New York, NY, 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.
    The 31 cultural items are from 2 shamans' kits. The first shaman's 
kit contains 18 cultural items; the second shaman's kit contains 14 
cultural items. At an unknown date, Lieutenant George Thornton Emmons 
acquired the 31 cultural items. In 1894, the American Museum of Natural 
History purchased the shamans' kits from Lieutenant Emmons and 
accessioned them into its collection that same year.
    The first shaman's kit consists of one box drum, one beating stick, 
one bundle of beating sticks, three ornamental portions of dance 
headdresses, one headdress mask, three wooden carvings, one portion of 
a wooden rattle, three strings of scallop shells, four wooden guards or 
spirits, and one doctor's urine box.
    The box drum is made from wood and is painted to represent a brown 
bear. The beating stick measures about 32 cm x 3 cm x 1 cm. The bundle 
of beating sticks measures 37 cm x 14 cm x 7 cm and consists of 11 
sticks tied together

[[Page 24758]]

with plant fiber. The first portion of one dance headdress is a wooden 
figure carved to represent a salmon that is painted graphite and black. 
The second and third partial headdresses are wooden figures carved to 
represent bears' heads. The wooden headdress mask is carved to 
represent a Tlingit spirit (a dead man) and is painted black and red. 
The first wooden carving depicts a land otter that is sitting up. The 
second carving depicts a spirit with a frog in its stomach, and the 
third wooden carving depicts a spirit with a land otter coming out of 
its mouth. The partial rattle consists of a wooden handle attached to 
the rattle's body that is carved to represent an oyster-catcher. The 
three strings of shells consist of scallop shells attached with hide. 
The first wooden guard or spirit is carved to represent an eagle, and 
the second is carved to represent a bear. The third wooden guard or 
spirit is carved to represent a figure with a fighting headdress, and 
the fourth is carved to represent many spirits. The doctor's urine box 
is made of wood, stands on two legs, and measures approximately 32 cm x 
22 cm x 18 cm.
    The second shaman's kit consists of one wooden rattle, four wooden 
masks, two headdress masks, one headdress, one ceremonial hat, two 
ornamental tops of dance headdresses, and three sections of walrus 
ivory.
    The wooden rattle is carved to represent the sun and is 
ornamentally painted to depict a frog. The first wooden mask is carved 
to represent a land otter and is ornamentally painted red, black, and 
mineral blue, with a devil fish painted on each cheek. The second 
wooden mask is carved to represent a man's face; the center of the 
forehead is raised and is carved to represent a killer whale's dorsal 
fin. The mask is ornamentally painted in red, black, and native mineral 
blue. Tail feathers of a red wing flicker are painted on each cheek, 
while the forehead is painted to depict a raven. The third wooden mask 
is carved to represent the spirit of an old man named ``Shou-Kee-yake'' 
and is painted red, black, and native mineral blue. The fourth wooden 
mask is carved to represent an old woman with a labret in the lower 
lip. The mask is also ornamentally painted red, black, and native 
mineral blue; and on the face are painted the tail feathers of the red 
wing flicker. The two headdress masks are made of wood. The first 
headdress mask, carved to represent an eagle, is painted red, black, 
and native mineral blue, and is ornamented with copper eyebrows. The 
second headdress mask is carved to represent a ground hog and is 
ornamented with copper eyebrows and operculum teeth. Above the 
forehead, three carved spirit faces are painted red, black, and native 
mineral blue. The headdress is made of wood and hide and is painted 
red, black, and native mineral blue. It is carved to represent a 
kingfisher above and a frog below, with both figures ornamented with 
copper eyebrows and operculum teeth. The ceremonial hat is made of 
woven spruce root and is painted to depict a spirit of a man with a 
devil fish on either hand. The first ornamental portion of the dance 
headdress consists of four woven spruce root disks, and the second 
portion consists of five woven spruce root disks. The walrus ivory is 
in three pieces.
    The cultural affiliation of the 31 cultural items is Hutsnuwu 
(``Hootz-ar-tar qwan'') Tlingit as indicated through museum records and 
consultation with representatives of the Central Council of the Tlingit 
& Haida Indian Tribes. Museum records identify the items as having come 
from the grave houses of two doctors of the ``Hootz-ar-tar qwan.'' The 
Central Council of the Tlingit &Haida Indian Tribes has requested the 
shamans' kits on behalf of the clans of Angoon who comprise the 
Hutsnuwu Tlingit.
    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3) (B), the 31 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 Native 
American individuals. Officials of the American Museum of Natural 
History also have 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 unassociated funerary objects and the Central 
Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Nell Murphy, Director of Cultural Resources, American Museum of 
Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, 
telephone (212) 769-5837, before May 26, 2006. Repatriation of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Central Council of the Tlingit & 
Haida Indian Tribes may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Angoon Community Association, Central Council of the Tlingit & 
Haida Indian Tribes, Kootznoowoo Incorporated, and Sealaska Heritage 
Institute that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 23, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-6264 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am]
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