Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 16 / Wednesday, January 25, 1995
/ Notices Page 4922 & 4923
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item in the Possession
of the Navajo Nation Museum, Window Rock, Arizona
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior
ACTION: Notice
_________________________________________________________________
Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 of the intent to
repatriate a cultural item in the possession of the Navajo Nation
Museum, Window Rock, AZ, that meets the definitions of "sacred
object" and "object of cultural patrimony" under section 2 of the
act.
On November 16, 1993, the Navajo Nation Museum sent summary
information on their collections to the Oneida Tribe of Indians
of Wisconsin. In response to this information, representatives
of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin visited the Navajo
Nation Museum in October, 1994, identified a carved wooden mask
as being a sacred object and an object of cultural patrimony, and
requested its repatriation.
The carved wooden mask is approximately life size. The nose of
the mask is twisted at an angle. The eye sockets are lined with
copper sheeting. Two pieces of horse tail are nailed to the top
of the mask so that the hair falls on either side of the face.
The surface of the mask is painted red. A buckskin loop is nailed
to the top for hanging the mask. Museum records indicate that the
mask was ordered from White Deer Indian Traders of Stevens Point,
Wisconsin, in 1961.
Representatives of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin have
identified this item as a medicine or false face mask. Such masks
represent the power of particular medicine beings. This
particular mask represents the Red-Faced Spirit, also known as
Keel-Nose. The Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin resides
within sixty miles of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Representatives of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin
affirm that this specific false face mask is needed by the
traditional religious leaders of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of
Wisconsin for the practice of the traditional mid-winter ceremony
by present-day adherents. Representatives of the Oneida Tribe of
Indians of Wisconsin also affirm that this false face mask is
owned collectively by the members of the Oneida Tribe of Indians
of Wisconsin and no individual had the right to sell or otherwise
alienate the mask.
Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Navajo
Nation Museum 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 this false
face mask and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
Officials of the Navajo Nation Museum have also determined that
this false face mask meets the definitions of sacred object and
object of cultural patrimony pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(C). Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with this object should contact
Clarenda Begay, Museum Director, Navajo Nation Museum, Window
Rock, Arizona, 86515, telephone (602) 871-6673 before February
24, 1995. Repatriation of this false face mask to the Oneida
Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin can begin after that date if no
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: January 20, 1995
Francis P. MacManamon
Departmental Consulting Archeologist
Chief, Archeological Assistance Division
[FR Doc. 95-1876 Filed 1-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
Back to the top
Back to National-NAGPRA