[Federal Register: September 12, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 177)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57840]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12se02-99]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service
 
Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item in the Possession 
of the Minnesota Museum of American Art, Saint Paul, MN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to 
repatriate a cultural item in the possession of the Minnesota Museum of 
American Art that meets the definition of ``sacred object'' and 
``object of cultural patrimony'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these 
cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    The cultural item is a shaman's dancing apron (Minnesota Museum of 
American Art accession number 57.14.16) made in about 1880-1900 from a 
Chilkat blanket and composed of wool leather, yarn, and deer claws. It 
measures 28 by 45 inches. Museum accession records describe the apron 
as ``Made of the right end of a Chilkat blanket, whose design does not 
appear in Emmon's book. All of the lateral field and about 3 inches of 
the central field appear. The yellow figures are outlined in orange 
yarn. The white yarn is mountain goat wool. The top blue of the blanket 
is heavy four-ply brown cotton cord. The sidelines are twisted sinew. 
The apron has a buckskin fringe at the bottom with 39 deer hooves 
attached. It belonged to an Indian doctor Gambies Jim.''
    The apron, listed as number 632 of the Rasmussen Collection, was 
purchased by the Minnesota Museum of American Art in 1957 from the 
Portland Art Museum. The Portland Art Museum acquired these works from 
Mr. Axel Rasmussen who was superintendent of schools in Skagway, AK. 
Representatives of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian 
Tribes have provided evidence that this shaman's dancing apron is 
needed for religious ceremonies by the Tlingit, and specifically by the 
Gaanax.adi clan. Representatives of the Central Council of the Tlingit 
& Haida Indian Tribes also provided evidence that this shaman's dancing 
apron has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance to 
the Tlingit people, and that it could not have been alienated, 
appropriated, or conveyed by any individual.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the 
Minnesota Museum of American Art have determined that, pursuant to 43 
CFR 10.2 (d)(3), this 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 Minnesota Museum of American Art also have 
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(4), this cultural item has 
ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the 
tribe itself, and could not have been alienated, appropriated, or 
conveyed by any individual. Lastly, officials of the Minnesota Museum 
of American Art have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), 
there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably 
traced between this sacred object/object of cultural patrimony and the 
Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Central Council of 
the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes. Representatives of any other Indian 
tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with this sacred 
object/object of cultural patrimony should contact Lin Nelson Mayson, 
Museum Curator, Museum of American Art, 505 Landmark Center, 75 West 
Fifth Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102, telephone (651) 292-4370, before 
October 15, 2002. Repatriation of this sacred object/object of cultural 
patrimony to the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes 
of Alaska may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.

    Dated: July 3, 2002.
Robert Stearns,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-23131 Filed 9-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S