Notice of Inventory Completion: Hastings Museum, Hastings, NE, 81936-81937 [2024-23370]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81936-81937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23370]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038841; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Hastings Museum, Hastings, NE

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 Hastings Museum has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects

[[Page 81937]]

in this notice may occur on or after November 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Teresa Kreutzer-Hodson, Hastings Museum, 1330 North 
Burlington Avenue, Hastings, NE 68901, telephone (402) 461-2399, 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 the 
Hastings Museum, and additional information on the determinations in 
this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, one individuals has been 
identified. The 26 associated funerary objects are the clothes 
remaining on the body as well a mixture of tribally made items and US 
military gear. The clothing consists of a US military long coat with 
cape, red striped long sleave cotton shirt, leather belt and loin cloth 
with beaded leggings, and beaded moccasins. Other funerary objects 
found with the body include tepee poles, bison robe, pipe bag, hoof 
rattle, lariat, several other leather bags, trade knife, willow back 
rest, bow and arrows and a Henry Rifle.
    In July 1921, human remains representing one individual and 
associated funerary objects were removed a rock ledge overlooking the 
Powder River near Barnum, Johnson County, Wyoming by Adam Keith. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were brought to the 
Hastings Museum by Albert Brooking and Ray Cole and cataloged in 1930 
(09211-09224). These remains were identified in the 1920s as belonging 
to High Back Wolf III, a Cheyenne warrior killed in 1865. However, 
there is compelling evidence that this is the body could be of a 
different Cheyenne man known as Eagle Chef, killed in 1876. Once in the 
Museum care, the body and associated funerary objects were fumigated on 
multiple occasions and treated with a mixture of formaldehyde, alcohol 
and bichloride of mercury. It is highly likely other poisonous 
substances were used up through the1970s to prevent insect infestation.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available 
about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in 
this notice.

Determinations

    The Hastings Museum has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of one individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 26 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Cheyenne 
and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the 
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. 
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after November 
8, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the 
Hastings Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. The Hastings Museum is responsible for sending a 
copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: September 30, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-23370 Filed 10-8-24; 8:45 am]
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