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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 100525-100526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29266]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039188; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Inventory Completion: The Kikuchi Center at 
Kaua[revaps]i Community College, L[imacr]hu[revaps]e, HI

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 Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i 
Community College 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 in this notice may occur on or after January 13, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Jason Ford, The Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community 
College, 3-1901 Kaumuali[revaps]i Highway, L[imacr]hu[revaps]e, HI 
96766, telephone (808) 245-8236, 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 
Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community College, 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, six individuals have been 
identified in the Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community College. 
The two lots of associated funerary objects are listed in the item 
descriptions below.
    The Kikuchi Center is an archive curating the work of Dr. William 
Kikuchi. Dr. Kikuchi co-founded the Archaeology Research Center of 
Hawai[revaps]i, ARCH, with Francis Ching, Jr. He inherited a collection 
of ARCH project materials, including ARCH projects 14-152 III and 14-
122. These project sites are located within North and South Kona on 
Hawai[revaps]i island. These materials were excavated circa 1980, and 
the founding of the Kikuchi Center and processing of these materials 
began in September 2022. In March of 2024, an osteologist analyzed the 
bones in the collection and positively identified the listed iwi kupuna 
as human. These bones are associated with Native Hawaiian sites, 
cultural layers, and items. Some bones and bone artifacts listed are 
too small for identification. Due to their association with the 
positively identified iwi kupuna, they are being listed for 
consultation and repatriation, and treated as human.
    Item: Human remains. Site Name: ARCH 14-122. Geographical Location: 
Keahole, North Kona, Hawai[revaps]i. Collection History: Excavated for 
ARCH 14-122 project at Keahole circa 1980, these iwi kupuna were 
positively identified as human by an osteologist in March 2024.
    Item: Human remains and associated funerary objects. Site Name: 
ARCH 14-152 III, Site 4564. Geographical Location: La[revaps]aloa, 
Kona, Hawai[revaps]i. Collection History: Excavated for ARCH project 
14-152 III circa June 1980, these iwi kupuna were identified as human 
by an osteologist in March 2024. Associated funerary objects: one lot 
of basalt and coral abraders, basalt hammer and grinding stones, adze 
fragments, two small adze, one breadloaf sinker, three bone awls, wood 
and gourd fragments, urchin files, ili konane. Additional information: 
Site 4564 is identified as a blister cave and contained the iwi kupuna 
listed above.
    Item: Human remains and associated funerary objects. Site Name: 
ARCH 14-152 III, Site 4579. Geographical Location: La[revaps]aloa, 
Kona, Hawai[revaps]i. Collection History: Excavated for ARCH project 
14-152 III circa June 1980, these iwi kupuna were identified as human 
by an osteologist in March 2024. Associated funerary objects: two fish 
hooks, one lot of coral basalt abraders and hammer stones, lot of 
urchin files, one horse shoe, one micro adze, lot of shell beads, shell 
fish hook fragment, lauhala fibers, one bag of faunal bone midden, one 
bone awl, and one dog tooth pendant. Additional information: Site 4579 
is identified as a lava tube.
    Item: Human remains. Site Name: ARCH 14-152 III, Site 4581, 4559, 
6482. Geographical Location: La[revaps]aloa, Kona, Hawai[revaps]i. 
Collection History: Excavated for ARCH project 14-152 III circa June 
1980, these modified fragments were too small for positive 
identification by the osteologist. Preponderance of evidence suggests 
high likelihood they are

[[Page 100526]]

human, and consultation with NHOs resulted in the determination they be 
treated as iwi kupuna and repatriated.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    The Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community College has 
determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of an estimated six individuals of Native Hawaiian 
ancestry.
     The two lots of 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 Hale Mua 
Cultural Group and Protect Keopuka Ohana.

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 January 
13, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the 
Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community College 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 Kikuchi 
Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community College 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: December 4, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-29266 Filed 12-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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