NAGPRA NOTICES OF INVENTORY COMPLETION: Notice of Inventory Completion: Central Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum, Ellensburg, WA



FR Doc E7-1970
[Federal Register: February 7, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 25)]
[Notices]               
[Page 5736-5737]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07fe07-124]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice of Inventory Completion: Central Washington University, 
Department of Anthropology and Museum, Ellensburg, 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 control of Central 
Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum, 
Ellensburg, WA. The human remains were removed from Ferry and Okanogan 
Counties, 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 Central 
Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
    In 1958, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from a terrace 15 feet from Kettle River in Ferry County, 
WA, by University of Washington Museum staff, and were accessioned by 
the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA (Burke Accession 1963-70). In 
1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred the human remains to the 
Central Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum. 
No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on skeletal morphology and geographic and accession 
documentation, the human remains are of Native American ancestry. Ferry 
County is located within the aboriginal territory of the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington. Ethnographic sources 
identify Ferry County as an area associated with the Colville Band 
(Kennedy and Bouchard 1998; Mooney 1896; Ray 1936; Spier 1936; Swanton 
1952). The Colville Band is one of the twelve tribes and bands that 
compose the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington.
    In 1960, human remains representing a minimum of four individuals 
were removed from land adjacent to Washington State Highway 20, three 
miles east of Tonasket in Okanogan County, WA, by a Washington State 
Highway Department crew. The Washington State Highway Department gave 
the human remains to the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office. The Okanogan 
County Sheriff sent the human remains to the University of Washington 
School of Medicine's Anatomy Department for identification. The Burke 
Museum accessioned the human remains in 1965 (Burke Accession 1965-55). 
In 1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred the human remains to 
Central Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum. 
No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    Based on morphological evidence, the human remains are Native 
American. The northern area of Okanogan County was part of the 
aboriginal and historic territory of the Okanogan people. Geographic 
affiliation is consistent with the historically documented territory of 
the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington. The 
Okanogan Band is one of the twelve tribes and bands that compose the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
    Officials of Central Washington University, Department of 
Anthropology and Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the physical 
remains of five individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of 
the Central Washington University, Department of Anthropology and 
Museum have also 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 of the Colville Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Lourdes 
Henebry-

[[Page 5737]]

DeLeon, NAGPRA Program Director, Central Washington University, 
Department of Anthropology and Museum, 400 East University Way, 
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7544, telephone (509) 963-2671, before March 9, 
2007. Repatriation of the human remains to the Confederated Tribes of 
the Colville Reservation, Washington may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Central Washington University, Department of Anthropology and 
Museum is responsible for notifying the Confederated Tribes of the 
Colville Reservation, Washington that this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 18, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-1970 Filed 2-6-07; 8:45 am]

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