[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 181 (Monday, September 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 58032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23977]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate a Cultural Item: State Historical 
Society of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, in consultation 
with the appropriate Indian Tribe, has determined a cultural item meets 
the definitions of sacred object and object of cultural patrimony and 
repatriation to the Indian Tribe stated below may occur if no 
additional claimants come forward. Representatives of any Indian Tribe 
that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the cultural item 
may contact the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian Tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the cultural item should contact the State 
Historical Society of Wisconsin at the address below by October 19, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: Jennifer Kolb, Director, Wisconsin Historical Museum, 30 
North Carroll St., Madison, WI 53703, telephone (608) 261-2461.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 State Historical Society of Wisconsin (also known as 
the Wisconsin Historical Society), Madison, WI, that 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 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Item

    The object to be repatriated is the Decorah war bundle. The 
contents are comprised of an oil cloth bag, three cane flutes, two cane 
sticks, one stick of wood, one drumstick, one bag of arborvitae leaves, 
three animal tails, one skin bag, three bird bodies, one bird head, and 
two bird wings. According to the Wisconsin Historical Museum accession 
ledger the object is a war bundle of the Winnebago Wolf Clan. This war 
bundle was one of several objects purchased from Paul Radin for $80.00. 
It was obtained by Paul Radin from the family of Ho-Chunk Chief Spoon 
Decorah (also known as Dekorah, DeCarrie, Decora, DeKaury) at Black 
River Falls, WI, in October 1913.
    According to Dr. Paul Radin, author of The Winnebago Tribe, war 
bundles were used in what is often called the Wagig[omacr], Winter 
Feast, or War-bundle Feast, which is one of the principal ceremonies of 
the Ho-Chunk. The Decorah war bundle is affiliated with the Ho-Chunk 
people, who are now the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago 
Tribe of Nebraska. According to the Ho-Chunk Nation, ``Many of the clan 
bundles were divided when Ho-Chunk members of the different families 
chose to return to Wisconsin and other members chose to stay in 
Nebraska.''
    During consultation, the Traditional Court of the Ho-Chunk Nation 
identified Mr. Cleland Goodbear, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of 
Wisconsin, as a lineal descendant of Chief Spoon Decorah, and present 
clan leader of the Decorah family. The Traditional Court further 
determined that the Decorah war bundle should be reunited with another 
bundle that Mr. Goodbear has in his possession.
    Although the Decorah war bundle was requested for repatriation by 
the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin under the category ``object of 
cultural patrimony,'' officials of the State Historical Society of 
Wisconsin have determined that the Decorah war bundle is also a 
specific ceremonial object needed by Ho-Chunk religious leaders for the 
practice of traditional Native American religion by their present-day 
adherents.

Determinations Made by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 
Madison, WI

    Officials of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the one cultural item 
described above is a specific ceremonial object needed by Native 
American religious leaders for the practice of traditional Native 
American religion by their present-day adherents.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the one cultural item 
described above has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural 
importance central to the Native American group or culture itself, 
rather than property owned by an individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the sacred 
object/object of cultural patrimony and the Ho-Chunk Nation of 
Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian Tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the sacred object/object of cultural 
patrimony should contact Jennifer Kolb, Director, Wisconsin Historical 
Museum, 30 North Carroll St., Madison, WI 53703, telephone (608) 261-
2461, before October 19, 2011. Repatriation of the sacred object/object 
of cultural patrimony to the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The State Historical Society of Wisconsin is responsible for 
notifying the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of 
Nebraska that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 14, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-23977 Filed 9-16-11; 8:45 am]
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