[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32187-32188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16021]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession of the 
Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human remains were most 
likely removed from Vancouver, Clark County, WA.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Burke Museum 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon; 
Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon; Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes 
of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; Cowlitz Indian Tribe, 
Washington; Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Indian 
Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually 
Reservation, Washington; Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington; Spokane Tribe of 
the Spokane Reservation, Washington; Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington, 
and three non-Federally recognized Indian groups - Clatsop-Nehalem 
Confederated Tribes, Snoqualmoo Tribe, and Wanapum Band.
    At an unknown date before 1962, human remains representing a 
minimum of one individual were removed from an unknown site in the city 
of Vancouver within Clark County, WA. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    These human remains were previously considered culturally 
unidentifiable, but after further review by a University of Washington 
physical anthropologist, the human remains have been determined to be 
Native American. There are only two fragments of the cranium present; 
however, they exhibit morphological evidence consistent with Native 
American morphology, such as the presence of wormian bones and a thick 
cranial vault, as well as cranial deformity.
    Early and late published ethnographic documentation indicates that 
Vancouver, WA, was within the aboriginal territory of the Watlala, 
Multnomah, Clackamas, Toppenish, and Wasco (Hale 1841, Silverstein 
1998, Spier 1936, Mooney 1896) whose descendents are represented today 
by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; and 
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. During the 
treaty period, the Clackamas were removed to the Grand Ronde 
Reservation.
    Vancouver falls outside of the lands described in the Indian Land 
Areas Judicially Established 1978; however, the tribes with judicially 
established Indian land areas in close proximity of Vancouver include 
the Upper Chehalis to the north, the Cowlitz to the northeast, the Warm 
Springs to the south, and the Yakama to the west. The core territory of 
the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington is to the north of Vancouver, but 
aboriginally the Cowlitz utilized resources and visited the Vancouver 
area. During the treaty period, the Cowlitz were removed to the 
Chehalis Reservation, Yakama Reservation, and Quinault Reservation. In 
2000, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington was independently Federally-
recognized.
    From 1824 until 1860, the Hudson's Bay Company operated a trading 
post at Fort Vancouver. This post brought together diverse communities 
through trade including over 23 tribes. Specifically, in addition to 
the four above-mentioned tribes, the Confederated Tribes of the 
Chehalis Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation, Oregon; Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Indian 
Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually 
Reservation, Washington; Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington; Spokane Tribe of 
the Spokane Reservation, Washington; Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington, 
and the following non-Federally recognized Indian groups: the Clatsop-
Nehalem Confederated

[[Page 32188]]

Tribes, Snoqualmoo Tribe, and Wanapum Band, also had a close 
association with Fort Vancouver. Church burial records indicate that 
the ancestors of the above-mentioned tribes were all buried at Fort 
Vancouver. In addition, many of these cultures practiced intentional 
cranial modification, as seen in the human remains described in this 
notice. Based on the morphology of the human remains, provenience, 
ethnographic and historical records, officials of the Burke Museum 
reasonably believe that these tribes are associated with the Native 
American human remains.
    Officials of the Burke Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Burke 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 Native American human remains and 
the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon; 
Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon; Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes 
of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; Cowlitz Indian Tribe, 
Washington; Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Indian 
Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually 
Reservation, Washington; Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington; Spokane Tribe of 
the Spokane Reservation, Washington; and Stillaguamish Tribe of 
Washington. Furthermore, officials of the Burke Museum have determined 
there is a cultural relationship between the human remains and three 
non-Federally recognized Indian groups - the Clatsop-Nehalem 
Confederated Tribes, Snoqualmoo Tribe, and Wanapum Band.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 353010, 
Seattle, WA 98195-3010, telephone (206) 685-2282, before August 6, 
2009. Repatriation of the human remains to the Confederated Tribes and 
Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the 
Chehalis Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Grand 
Ronde Community of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs 
Reservation of Oregon; Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington; Muckleshoot 
Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation, Washington; 
Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington; 
Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington; Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, 
Washington; Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington, and three non-Federally 
recognized Indian groups - the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes, 
Snoqualmoo Tribe, and Wanapum Band, may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Confederated 
Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Confederated Tribes 
of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the 
Grand Ronde Community of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs 
Reservation of Oregon; Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington; Muckleshoot 
Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation, Washington; 
Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington; 
Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington; Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, 
Washington; Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington, and three non-Federally 
recognized Indian groups - the Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes, 
Snoqualmoo Tribe, and Wanapum Band, that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: May 29, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-16021 Filed 7-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S