Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA, 13147 [2023-04261]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 13147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04261]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0035425; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: California State 
University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California State University, Sacramento, 
Sacramento, CA intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet 
the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a 
cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations in this notice. The cultural items were removed from Yolo 
County, CA.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after April 3, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Dianne Hyson, Dean of the College of Social Sciences and 
Interdisciplinary Studies, California State University, Sacramento, 
6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819, telephone (916) 278-6504, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of 
California State University, Sacramento. The National Park Service is 
not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional 
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results 
of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records held by 
California State University, Sacramento.

Description

    The 61 cultural items were removed from three sites in Yolo County, 
CA. Sometime in the 1950s, cultural items were removed from CA-YOL-16 
(also known as the Kuchler Site) by students at Sacramento State 
College (now California State University, Sacramento) under the 
direction of Dr. Reeves. At all times thereafter, the collection has 
been housed at California State University, Sacramento. In 1966, 
cultural items were removed from CA-YOL-71 by Harry Hanson. How this 
collection came into the possession of California State University, 
Sacramento is unknown. In 1973, cultural items were found during a 
survey of unknown sites in the Capay Valley. How this collection came 
into the possession of California State University, Sacramento is 
unknown. In total there are 61 unassociated funerary objects, of which 
six objects are currently missing from the collections. The 61 
unassociated funerary objects include faunal and floral remains; flaked 
and ground stone; historic period materials; and modified bones, 
shells, and stones. California State University, Sacramento continues 
to look for the six missing objects.

Cultural Affiliation

    The cultural items in this notice are connected to one or more 
identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a 
relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier 
groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were 
used to reasonably trace the relationship: anthropological, 
archeological, folkloric, geographical, historical, kinship, 
linguistic, oral, traditional, other relevant information, and expert 
opinion.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, the California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, 
CA has determined that:
     The 61 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.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the cultural items and the Yocha Dehe 
Wintun Nation, California.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 
ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any lineal 
descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or a culturally 
affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
    Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after April 3, 2023. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, California State University, Sacramento must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a 
single request and not competing requests. California State University, 
Sacramento is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the 
Indian Tribe identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.8, Sec.  
10.10, and Sec.  10.14.

    Dated: February 22, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-04261 Filed 3-1-23; 8:45 am]
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