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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 100532-100533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29262]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039187; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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 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.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items 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 the summary or related records. The 
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of five cultural items have been requested for 
repatriation. The five unassociated funerary objects are one 19th 
century non-human bone

[[Page 100533]]

toothbrush, one hohoa style kapa beater, and three coral abraders. 
Item: one unassociated funerary object. Site Name: ARCH 14-138, site 
E2, site 50-10-37-6655. Geographical Location: H[omacr]lualoa, Kona, 
Hawai[revaps]i. Collection History: ARCH 14-138 is an archaeological 
surface survey and excavation conducted by the Archaeology Research 
Center of Hawai`i (ARCH) circa 1980. The excavated materials for this 
project were inherited by the late Dr. Kikuchi, emeritus professor at 
Kaua[revaps]i Community College. The founding of the Kikuchi Center at 
Kaua[revaps]i Community College, an archive curating Dr. Kikuchi's 
materials, began September 2022, and processing of these materials 
began in 2024. Processing of ARCH 14-138 materials resulted in the 
discovery that the 19th century non-human bone toothbrush is an 
unassociated funerary object. The artifact bag containing this item 
states that this non-human bone toothbrush is associated with a Native 
Hawaiian burial and was found at the feet of the burial. It is 
dissociated from any known iwi kupuna. The ARCH 14-138 project report 
describes the burial crypt at site 50-10-37-6655, including a 
description of the non-human bone toothbrush being present there with 
iwi kupuna. Accession #: 50-10-37-6655-AR110.
    Item: four unassociated funerary objects. Site Name: ARCH 14-152 
III, site 50-10-37-6479, surface chamber 2, field #1, code 1. 
Geographical Location: La[revaps]aloa, Kona, Hawai[revaps]i. Collection 
History: ARCH 14-152 III is an archaeological surface survey and 
excavation conducted by the Archaeology Research Center of Hawai`i 
(ARCH) circa 1980. The excavated materials for this project were 
inherited by the late Dr. Kikuchi, emeritus professor at Kaua[revaps]i 
Community College. The founding of the Kikuchi Center at Kaua`i 
Community College, an archive curating Dr. Kikuchi's materials, began 
September 2022, and processing of these materials began in 2024. 
Processing and provenance research of ARCH 14-152 III materials 
resulted in the discovery that the one hohoa kapa beater and three 
coral abraders are unassociated funerary objects. Site 50-10-37-6479 is 
identified in the report as a lava tube with multiple chambers. The 
report states that the lava tube contained human remains. The items are 
dissociated from any known iwi kupuna. Accession #: 10-6479-AR83, 10-
6479-AR76, 10-6479-AR78, 10-6479-AR77

Determinations

    The Kikuchi Center at Kaua[revaps]i Community College has 
determined that:
     The five unassociated funerary objects described in this 
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with 
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death 
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American 
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a 
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The 
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance 
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or 
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an 
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe 
or Native Hawaiian organization.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural 
items described in this notice and the Hale Mua Cultural Group and 
Protect Keopuka Ohana.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under 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 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 cultural items 
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 and to any other consulting 
parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: December 4, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-29262 Filed 12-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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