Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 50109-50110 [2013-19988]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50109-50110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19988]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-13483; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Burke 
Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, University 
of Washington (Burke Museum), in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the 
cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of 
any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written 
request to the Burke Museum. If no additional claimants come forward, 
transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, 
Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice 
may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the Burke Museum at the address 
in this notice by September 16, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 
35101, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849, email plape@uw.edu.

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 under the 
control of the Burke Museum, Seattle, 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 Native 
American cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    In 1919, two unassociated funerary objects were removed from the 
W.T. Good Farm, south of Mt. Vernon, in Skagit County, WA. Human 
remains and funerary objects were removed by A.R. Hilen and donated to 
the Burke Museum in 1919 (Burke Accn. 1613). The whereabouts 
of the human remains are unknown. The two unassociated funerary objects 
are copper bracelets.
    The cemetery site from which the objects were removed was 
identified as an ``Indian cemetery.'' The Rygg and Lisk families 
occupied the property. The Lisk family was of Kikiallus heritage. The 
site described in this notice is located on the South Fork of the 
Skagit River. The two copper bracelets are consistent in style with 
Native American Coast Salish historic material culture.
    Linguistically, Native American speakers of the Northern dialect of 
the Lushootseed language claim cultural heritage to the Skagit River 
delta area. Historical and anthropological sources (Amoss 1978, Mooney 
1896, Spier 1936, Swanton 1952) indicate that the Kikiallus, Swinomish, 
Lower Skagit, and Upper Skagit people occupied and had village sites 
within the Skagit River delta area. Oral history provided by the 
Stillaguamish and legal testimony during the Indian Claims Commission 
decisions also indicates that the Stillaguamish utilized the Skagit 
River delta and Skagit Bay area for hunting, fishing, and clamming 
(Grady 2012:3). Today, descendants of Kikiallus are members of the 
Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as 
Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); the Swinomish Indians of the 
Swinomish Reservation of Washington; and the Tulalip Tribes of 
Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip 
Reservation, Washington). Today, the Lower Skagit are represented by 
the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington. The 
Upper Skagit are represented by the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe.

Determinations Made by the Burke Museum

    Officials of the Burke Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the two cultural items 
described above are reasonably believed to have been

[[Page 50110]]

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 Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of 
Washington (previously listed as Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); 
Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington; Tulalip 
Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the 
Tulalip Reservation, Washington); and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of 
Washington, Box 35101, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849, 
email plape@uw.edu, by September 16, 2013. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of 
Washington (previously listed as Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); 
Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington; Tulalip 
Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the 
Tulalip Reservation, Washington); and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe may 
proceed.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Lummi Tribe of 
the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Nation (previously 
listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); Sauk-Suiattle Indian 
Tribe; Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed 
as Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); Swinomish Indians of the 
Swinomish Reservation of Washington; Tulalip Tribes of Washington 
(previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, 
Washington); and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: July 10, 2013.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-19988 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P