Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, Petersburg, AK, 16380-16382 [2020-06037]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 56 (Monday, March 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16380-16382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06037]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0029885; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, Petersburg, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

[[Page 16381]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass 
National Forest, 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 Tongass 
National Forest. 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 Tongass National Forest at the 
address in this notice by April 22, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Earl Stewart, Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest, 
Federal Building, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901, telephone 
(907) 228-6289, email [email protected].

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 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass 
National Forest, Ketchikan, AK, 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 Item

    In or around the early 1900's, one cultural item described as a 
``necklace'' and consisting of a total of 48 component parts was 
removed from a gravesite in Kah Sheets Bay near Petersburg, AK. The 
item was discovered after a tree was felled and inside the base of the 
tree was an [Iacute]XT' (Shaman) grave. The parties cutting down the 
tree are reported to have divided the grave goods. The unassociated 
funerary object is an ``[Iacute]XT' necklace'' that Emily Merriam 
received from Alma Zuver, the wife of Alvah Zuver (one of the parties 
felling the tree). The Zuvers had special use permits from the Tongass 
National Forest for fur farming activities in the general vicinity of 
the area. Emily Merriam gifted the necklace to the Clausen Memorial 
Museum in 1981. In November 2018, the Clausen Memorial Museum contacted 
the Tongass National Forest for assistance regarding the necklace, 
whereupon it was determined that the necklace had been collected from 
Federal lands, and was identified as an unassociated funerary object. 
The locations of other funerary objects or the human remains relating 
to this object are unknown. The object remains in the care of the 
Clausen Memorial Museum, under a temporary loan agreement with the 
Tongass National Forest, pending repatriation. The unassociated 
funerary object is described as a ``Shaman's Necklace'' but more 
appropriately is a necklace of an [Iacute]XT' consisting of 48 
individual components: 33 ground, polished and carved elongated bone 
pendants; nine pieces of bear and sea mammal teeth (comprising eight 
teeth); four decorative bone pieces; one claw; and one copper knife. 
Four of the teeth are carved. One tooth bears the image of a sea lion, 
a second tooth bears an unidentifiable image, a third tooth bears 
linear incisions and dots, and a fourth tooth is comprised of two 
pieces bearing mirror-images of killer whales. Of the decorative bone 
pieces, one (a bone fragment) bears an oystercatcher carving, a second 
(a flat bone) bears a carving of a supernatural being and fish, fin, 
man, and octopus carvings, and a third (a flat bone) bears a halibut 
carving. The fourth piece (an elongated flat bone carved with a 
basketry replication design) is bent. Presumably, it served as the back 
of the necklace. The flat, copper knife bears a shark design and a 
small drill hole. All but two pieces have a small drilled hole, and 
have been strung on a string which is not original to the object.
    Kah Sheets Bay lies in the traditional territory of the Stikine/
Wrangell Tlingit, and is associated with the Petersburg Indian 
Association and the Wrangell Cooperative Associations. According to 
Goldschmidt and Haas (1946), the Kaach.adi traditionally lived/used the 
bay. Kaach.adi people come from the Stikine and the Kake traditional 
territories.
    On October 29, 2018 the Tongass National Forest initiated 
consultation on the necklace with the Wrangell Cooperative Association, 
the Petersburg Indian Association and the Organized Village of Kake. 
Government-to-government consultation with the Organized Village of 
Kake and the Petersburg Indian Association occurred between November 2, 
2018 and August 19, 2019. Consultation begun on November 2, 2018 with 
the Wrangell Cooperative Association ended on February 22, 2019, when 
the Association officially ended its participation.
    Government-to-government consultation with the Organized Village of 
Kake and the Petersburg Indian Association resulted in unanimous 
agreement that both tribal entities are culturally affiliated with the 
[Iacute]XT' necklace and a joint repatriation request.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Tongass National Forest

    Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Tongass National Forest have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the one cultural item 
described above is 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 object and the Petersburg Indian Association and 
the Organized Village of Kake (hereafter referred to as ``The 
Tribes'').

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 Earl Stewart, Forest Supervisor, Tongass 
National Forest, Federal Building, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 
99901, telephone (907) 228-6289, email [email protected], by April 
22, 2020. After that date, if no additional claimants have come 
forward, transfer of control of the unassociated funerary object to The 
Tribes may proceed.
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass 
National Forest is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this 
notice has been published.


[[Page 16382]]


    Dated: February 19, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-06037 Filed 3-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P