Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Notices 50985 

address, as set forth in the ADDRESSES

section above. 

Before including your phone number, 

e-mail address, or other personal 

identifying information in your protest, 

you should be aware that your entire 

protest—including your personal 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can ask us in your protest to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 43 CFR 1610.2, 

43 CFR 1610.5–1. 

Dated: June 5, 2008. 

Selma Sierra, 

Utah State Director. 

[FR Doc. E8–19950 Filed 8–28–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural 

Item: Denver Museum of Nature & 

Science, Denver, CO 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

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 a cultural item in the 

possession of the Denver Museum of 

Nature & Science, Denver, CO, which 

meets the definitions of ‘‘sacred object’’

and ‘‘object of cultural patrimony’’

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 cultural 

item. The National Park Service is not 

responsible for the determinations in 

this notice. 

The cultural item is a ‘‘piki stone’’

from the Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico 

(A661.1). The piki stone is a sandstone 

slab, measuring approximately 26 x 19 

x 2 inches, with the top surface 

blackened from baking. On November 

10, 1972, the museum purchased the 

stone for $150 from Mr. Juan Melchoir 

of Cochiti Pueblo. Museum accession 

notes indicate that the stone dates to 

about 1930 and ‘‘was used by his family 

for several generations for baking piki 

bread.’’ The stone has long been a part 

of the museum’s ‘‘Hopi House’’ exhibit 

in the Crane American Indian Cultures 

Hall. 

During a consultation in the early 

1990s, a group of council 

representatives from the Pueblo of 

Cochiti, New Mexico visited the 

museum and identified the stone as 

coming from the pueblo and determined 

that it was a sacred object and object of 

cultural patrimony; however, a formal 

claim was not officially submitted until 

2006. The claim states that the Pueblo 

of Cochiti believes the stone ‘‘was stored 

by Mr. Melchoir during remodeling 

phases of a traditional cooking building 

and sold to the individual who’’ sold it 

to the museum and could not have been 

alienated by Mr. Melchoir, and thus is 

an object of cultural patrimony. The 

formal claim also states that the stone 

‘‘was used, and if repatriated would 

continue to be used, in traditional 

cooking ceremonies, conducted 

throughout the year by appointed 

Cochiti women, during times of 

traditional society events. These events 

involve many culturally sensitive 

ceremonies in which cooking, and piki 

bread, are of major significance to 

conduct the ceremony.’’ Thus, the claim 

asserts that the stone is also a sacred 

object. 

‘‘Piki’’ is a borrowed Hopi term to 

describe the wafer bread, while some 

use the Tewa term guayave, or a 

variation thereof; and at Cochiti it is 

ma’tzin. At Cochiti, the ‘‘piki stone’’

itself is also referred to as a comal or 

yo’asha. The anthropology and 

documentary literature has little 

information about yo’asha at the Pueblo 

of Cochiti. The few references that could 

be found would suggest that such stones 

are ‘‘privately owned real property’’

which can be owned, exchanged, 

traded, purchased, and inherited. 

Although the tribe concurs that some 

stones are privately held, during 

consultation, the Pueblo of Cochiti 

offered compelling evidence that a few 

special ones are communally owned 

and are stored in communal piki 

houses. They are used by community 

members for specific ceremonies, thus 

making them objects of cultural 

patrimony and sacred objects. Because 

museum documentation states that the 

stone in this notice was sold by Mr. 

Melchoir, the Pueblo knows its history, 

and that it was used by the entire 

community for religious events. Mr. 

Melchoir was responsible for the piki 

house in which the stone was placed, 

but the tribe claims that the people 

knew it was a house for everyone. Each 

year, specific leaders are appointed to 

do things on behalf of the entire 

community. According to tribal 

consultation, currently there is one 

communal piki house with one stone, 

an example of a shared place for making 

ma’tzin for ceremonies. The stone in the 

museum’s possession came from a 

house of this type, and if returned, will 

go back into this particular house. 

Anthropology and documentary 

literature does confirm that piki bread is 

used by many pueblos during religious 

ceremonies. For the people of Cochiti, 

ma’tzin was a traditional everyday 

foodstuff, but it was also eaten on 

religious feast days and for celebrations. 

The Pueblo of Cochiti concurs that 

ma’tzin was an everyday food item, but 

also emphasizes that it could have deep 

religious meanings at particular times 

and events. The Publeo of Chociti 

NAGPRA representative, Mr. Lee Suina, 

explained, ‘‘You can go to a restaurant 

and have wine and bread, but when you 

go to church and eat wine and bread, it 

has more meaning. Since we know the 

piki was for this specific reason, then 

it’s special. It’s not an everyday form of 

bread, in this case.’’ Mr. Suina 

explained that prayers were likely 

offered when the stone was quarried, 

and prayers were offered when the stone 

was used to make ma’tzin for numerous 

ceremonies. 

Officials of the Denver Museum of 

Nature & Science have determined that, 

pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(C), the 

cultural item is a specific ceremonial 

object needed by traditional Native 

American religious leaders for the 

practice of traditional Native American 

religions by their present-day adherents. 

Officials of the Denver Museum of 

Nature & Science have also determined 

that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(D), 

the cultural item has ongoing historical, 

traditional, or cultural importance 

central to the Native American group or 

culture itself, rather than property 

owned by an individual. Lastly, officials 

of the Denver Museum of Nature & 

Science have determined that, pursuant 

to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a 

relationship of shared group identity 

which can be reasonably traced between 

the sacred object/object of cultural 

patrimony and the Pueblo of Cochiti, 

New Mexico. 

Representatives of any other Indian 

tribe that believes itself to be culturally 

affiliated with the sacred object/object 

of cultural patrimony should contact Dr. 

Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh, Curator of 

Anthropology and NAGPRA Officer, 

Department of Anthropology, Denver 

Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 

Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80205, 

telephone (303) 370–6378, before 

September 29, 2008. Repatriation of the 

sacred object/object of cultural 

patrimony to the Pueblo of Cochiti, New 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

50986 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Notices 

Mexico may proceed after that date if no 

additional claimants come forward. 

The Denver Museum of Nature & 

Science is responsible for notifying the 

Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico that this 

notice has been published. 

Dated: August 4, 2008. 

Sherry Hutt, 

Manager, National NAGPRA Program. 

[FR Doc. E8–20109 Filed 8–28–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4312–50–S 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural 

Items in the Possession of the Bernice 

Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI; 

Correction 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice; correction. 

Notice is here given in accordance 

with the Native American Graves 

Protection and Repatriation Act 

(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the intent 

to repatriate cultural items in the 

possession of the Bishop Museum, 

Honolulu, HI, 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 human remains and 

associated funerary objects. The 

National Park Service is not responsible 

for the determinations in this notice. 

This notice corrects the culturally 

affiliated Native Hawaiian organizations 

identified during the claimant process 

and provides new museum contact 

information for a Notice of Intent to 

Repatriate Cultural Items published in 

the Federal Register of October 10, 2002 

(FR Doc 02–25874, page 63152) for 

unassociated funerary objects removed 

from Lana‘i, HI. 

The Federal Register notice of 

October 10, 2002 is corrected by 

substituting paragraph numbers 5 and 6 

with the following paragraphs: 

Officials of the Bishop Museum have 

determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 

3001 (3)(B), the 97 cultural items 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 Hawaiian 

individual. Officials of the Bishop 

Museum also have determined that, 

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 objects and 

the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hui 

Kako‘o. It has also been determined that 

Hui Kako‘o is the most culturally 

affiliated Native Hawaiian organization 

for these unassociated funerary objects. 

Representatives of any other Native 

Hawaiian organization that believes 

itself to be culturally affiliated with the 

unassociated funerary objects should 

contact Betty Lou Kam, Vice President 

of Cultural Resources, Bishop Museum, 

1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, HI 

96718–2704, telephone (808) 848–4144, 

before September 29, 2008. Repatriation 

of the unassociated funerary objects to 

Hui Kako‘o may proceed after that date 

if no additional claimants come 

forward. 

The Bishop Museum is responsible 

for notifying Hui Kako‘o, Hui Malama I 

Na Kupuna O Hawai‘i Nei, Maui/Lana‘i 

Island Burial Council, and the Office of 

Hawaiian Affairs that this notice has 

been published. 

Dated: August 12, 2008. 

Sherry Hutt, 

Manager, National NAGPRA Program. 

[FR Doc. E8–20101 Filed 8–28–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4312–50–S 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural 

Items: Denver Museum of Nature & 

Science, Denver, CO 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

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 in the 

possession of the Denver Museum of 

Nature & Science, Denver, CO, 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. 

On February 24, 1965, the collectors 

Mary W.A. and Francis V. Crane 

acquired 18 silver Seminole pendants 

from the antiquities dealer Howard B. 

Roloff. Records from the purchase 

transaction noted that the ‘‘4 dark ones 

are from a burial over 100 years old.’’ In 

1968, the Cranes donated the Seminole 

pendants to the Denver Museum of 

Nature & Science (then Denver Museum 

of Natural History) (Accession Numbers 

AC.7940A-D). The museum exhibited 

the four pendants in its ‘‘Seminole 

Silver Case’’ between 1976 and 1980. 

Historical and archeological evidence 

establish that Seminole and Miccosukee 

people have been residents in central 

and southern Florida for at least several 

hundred years. In consultations, 

representatives of the Miccosukee Tribe 

of Indians of Florida; Seminole Nation 

of Oklahoma; and Seminole Tribe of 

Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 

Hollywood & Tampa Reservations 

confirmed their affiliation with earlier 

historic American Indians in Florida 

and confirmed that the four pendants 

were very likely Seminole burial 

objects. Descendants of the Seminole are 

members of the Miccosukee Tribe of 

Indians of Florida; Seminole Nation of 

Oklahoma; and Seminole Tribe of 

Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 

Hollywood & Tampa Reservations. 

Officials of the Denver Museum of 

Nature & Science have determined that, 

pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 

four 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 to have been removed from a 

specific burial site of a Native American 

individual. Officials of the Denver 

Museum of Nature & Science also have 

determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 

3001 (2), there is a relationship of 

shared group identity that can be 

reasonably traced between the cultural 

items and the Miccosukee Tribe of 

Indians of Florida; Seminole Nation of 

Oklahoma; and Seminole Tribe of 

Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 

Hollywood & Tampa Reservations. 

Representatives of any other Indian 

tribe that believes itself to be culturally 

affiliated with the unassociated funerary 

objects should contact Dr. Chip ColwellChanthaphonh, NAGPRA Officer, 

Department of Anthropology, Denver 

Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 

Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80205, 

telephone (303) 370–6378, before 

September 29, 2008. Repatriation of the 

unassociated funerary items to the 

Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; 

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and 

Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big 

Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa 

Reservations may proceed after that date 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES