[Federal Register: August 21, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 163)]
[Notices]
[Page 49479-49481]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21au08-64]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Horner Collection,
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
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. 3005, of the intent
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Horner
Collection, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, that meets the
definition of ``unassociated funerary objects'' or ``sacred objects''
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.
The 19 cultural items are 18 unassociated funerary objects and 1
sacred object. The 18 unassociated funerary objects are 3 wedges, 1
club or pestle, 7 pestles, 1 pestle fragment, 1 copper pendant, 1
ground steatite tubular pipe, 1 mano, 2 mauls, and 1 unknown lithic
item. The one sacred object is a blue schist club in the shape of a
paddle.
The Museum of Oregon Country, Oregon Agricultural College was
renamed the John B. Horner Museum of the Oregon Country in 1936, and
became commonly known as the Horner Museum. The Oregon Agricultural
College was renamed the Oregon State College in 1937, and became Oregon
State University in 1962. The Horner Museum closed in 1995. Currently,
cultural items from the Horner Museum are referred to as the Horner
Collection, which is owned by, and in the possession of, Oregon State
University.
The Horner Collection, Oregon State University professional staff
consulted with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos,
Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde Community of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz
Reservation, Oregon; Coquille Tribe of Oregon; Karuk Tribe of
California; Smith River Rancheria, California; and Yurok Tribe of the
Yurok Reservation, California. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the
Yakama Nation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis
Reservation, Washington; Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington; Hawai`i
Island Burial Council; Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation,
Washington; Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O Hawai`i Nei; Jamestown S'Klallam
Tribe of Washington; Kauai/Niihau Island Burial Council; Lower Elwha
Tribal Community of the Lower Elwha Reservation, Washington; Lummi
Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Makah Indian Tribe of the
Makah Indian Reservation, Washington; Maui/Lanai Island Burial Council;
Molokai Island Burial Council; O'ahu Burial Committee; Office of
Hawaiian Affairs; Quartz Valley Indian Community of the Quartz Valley
Reservation of California; Quileute Tribe of the Quileute Reservation,
Washington; Quinault Tribe of the Quinault Reservation, Washington;
Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation,
Washington; Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation,
Washington; Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington;
and Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington were informed
of items in this claim, but did not participate in the consultations.
At an unknown date, a blue schist club in the shape of a paddle was
removed from an unknown location in Illahee, Curry County, OR, by an
unknown person. In 1940, the club was brought to the Horner Museum by
Mrs. C.H. Pettinger. In 1965, the club was accessioned into the Horner
Collection.
During consultation, a representative of the Confederated Tribes of
the Siletz Reservation, Oregon, identified the paddle as a ceremonial
paddle for stirring hot stones used to cook acorns in cooking baskets
for feasts and that it is needed for ceremonies that continue to be
practiced today. There are other known examples of stone paddles from
this same area. Illahe is in the divide between Chasta Costa
(Athabaskan) and Takelma territory along the Rogue River. The Illahe
area is primarily considered to be Chasta Costa. The Chasta Costa
people were brought to the Siletz reservation in 1856. The Handbook of
American Indians North of Mexico Part I (ed. Fredrick Webb Hodge,
1912), states that the Chasta Costa were an Athabaskan group living
mostly on the north bank of the Rogue River from its junction with the
Illinois River upstream nearly to the mouth of the Applegate River and
that the Chasta Costa were taken to the Siletz reservation in 1856.
Museum records and tribal representatives agree that this object is
culturally affiliated with the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz
Reservation, Oregon and that the paddle is a sacred item needed for use
in traditional ceremonies that continue to be practiced today.
At an unknown date, cultural items were removed from an unknown
site near Pistol River, Curry County, OR. In 1970, Mrs. Dorothy Timeus
donated the cultural items to the museum. According to Mrs. Timeus, the
cultural objects were found in the sand dunes near the Pistol River. It
is unknown if the cultural objects were removed by Mrs. Timeus. The
Horner Collection, Oregon State University has no evidence the cultural
items were ever buried with any individual. However, Mrs. Timeus is
known to have collected human remains and cultural items from burials
and mounds. Based on consultation and museum records, the Horner
Collection, Oregon State University has identified these cultural items
as unassociated funerary objects. The 11 unassociated funerary objects
are 6 pestles, 1 pestle fragment, 1 mano, 2 mauls, and 1 unknown
lithic.
A letter written by Mr. Harmon Timeus, Mrs. Timeus' son, states,
``I
[[Page 49480]]
have checked with several authorities concerning the Indian skulls and
relics...they are all from the To-To-Tin tribe. There were many smaller
groups of this tribe. The Chetl-essen-tans is the specific group which
inhabited the land where the relics were found.'' The authorities cited
in the letter are unknown. The tribe mentioned in the letter is most
likely the Chet-less-ing-ton Band of Too-too-to-ney tribe, who were
located at the eddy of Pistol River in the 1800s. The Chet-less-ing-ton
were signatories to the Oregon Coast Treaty of 1855 and by 1857 the
Chet-less-ing-ton were residing on the reservation of the Confederated
Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon (Harris, 1858). The Chet-less-
ing-ton are a subgroup of the Athabaskan/Tututni, which is one of the
member tribes of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation,
Oregon.
At an unknown date, a club or pestle was removed from Wellen,
Jackson County, OR, by an unknown person. In 1912, a pestle was removed
from the mouth of the Applegate River, Josephine County, OR, by an
unknown person. In 1934, the two cultural items were donated to the
Horner Museum by J.G. Crawford. The Horner Collection, Oregon State
University has no evidence the club/pestle or pestle was ever buried
with any individual. However, J.G. Crawford is known to have collected
human remains and cultural items from burials and mounds. Based on
consultation and museum records, the Horner Collection, Oregon State
University has identified these cultural items as unassociated funerary
objects.
The traditional territory of the Shasta, Takelma, and Applegate
River Athabaskans (Dakubetede) included Jackson and Josephine Counties,
OR. In May 1857, all three groups were permanently moved to the Siletz
Reservation.
At an unknown date, a black steatite tubular pipe was removed from
an Indian grave on the Klamath River near Copco, Siskiyou County, CA,
by an unknown person. In 1928, the pipe was donated to the Horner
Museum by C.J. Lisle. Museum records clearly state this object was
taken from a grave, but there is no indication that the human remains
were exhumed. Based on museum records, Horner Collection, Oregon State
University identifies this cultural item as an unassociated funerary
object.
The Yreka, Fort Jones, Scott River, and Upper Klamath River areas
were traditional territories for many of the people who were taken to
the Siletz Reservation. Some Siletz tribal members still reside in
those areas. The Shasta people of northern California and southern
Oregon moved to Upper Farm and Shasta Farm on the Siletz Agency in May
1857 and Rogue River, Chasta, Scoton and Grave Creek treaty funds were
expended in the development of those farms. A schoolhouse, agency
hospital, mills, and other treaty stipulations were carried out by the
Siletz agency because these tribes were residents on the Siletz
Reservation.
At an unknown date, a copper pendant was removed from an unknown
location possibly by J.B. Horner. J.B. Horner donated the pendant to
the Horner Museum in 1933. A tribal representative of the Confederated
Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon identified that copper
pendants and bangles have ``been frequently found in burials from the
Willamette Valley and all parts of the Oregon Coast, all of which is
within the aboriginal territory of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. A
good portion of that area is also within the original boundaries of the
Siletz Reservation, as established in 1855.'' During consultation, the
copper pendant was identified as an object that appears to have been
buried at one time and as an object that would have been buried with
the owner. The Horner Collection, Oregon State University has no
evidence the pendant was ever buried with any individual. However,
based on consultation, the Horner Collection, Oregon State University
has identified this cultural item as an unassociated funerary object.
At an unknown date, three wedges were removed from Seal Rock near
Newport, Lincoln County, OR, by an unknown person. These cultural items
were brought to the Horner Museum in 1933 by J.G. Crawford and
accessioned into the Horner Collection in 1958. The Horner Collection,
Oregon State University has no evidence the three wedges were ever
buried with any individual. However, Mr. Crawford is known to have
collected human remains and cultural items from burials and mounds.
Based on consultation and museum records, the Horner Collection, Oregon
State University has identified these cultural items as unassociated
funerary objects.
The Alsean tribal village of Kitau, now known as Seal Rock, is
within the boundaries of the Siletz Reservation established in 1855 and
is the site of a large midden containing many burials from Kitau. The
Alsea tribe's homeland was with the Siletz Reservation and they became
members of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon.
Officials of the Horner Collection, Oregon State University have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 18 cultural
items described above are reasonably believed to have been placed with
or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part
of the death rite or ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance of
the evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a
Native American individual. Officials of the Horner Collection, Oregon
State University 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 unassociated funerary objects and the
Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon.
Officials of the Horner Collection, Oregon State University 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
traditional Native American religious leaders for the practice of
traditional Native American religions by their present-day adherents.
Officials of the Horner Collection, Oregon State University 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 sacred object and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz
Reservation, Oregon.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the sacred object and/or unassociated
funerary objects should contact Sabah Randhawa, Executive Vice
President and Provost, President's Office, Oregon State University, 600
Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, OR 97331, telephone (541) 737-
8260, before September 22, 2008. Repatriation of the sacred object and
unassociated funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz
Reservation, Oregon may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
Horner Collection, Oregon State University 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 Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw
Indians of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of
Oregon; Coquille Tribe of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz
Reservation, Oregon; Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington; Hawai`i Island
Burial Council; Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation,
Washington; Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O Hawai`i Nei; Jamestown S'Klallam
Tribe of Washington; Karuk Tribe of California; Kauai/Niihau Island
Burial Council; Lower Elwha Tribal
[[Page 49481]]
Community of the Lower Elwha Reservation, Washington; Lower Umpqua and
Siuslaw Indians of Oregon; Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation,
Washington; Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation,
Washington; Maui/Lanai Island Burial Council; Molokai Island Burial
Council; O'ahu Burial Committee; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Quileute
Tribe of the Quileute Reservation, Washington; Quartz Valley Indian
Community of the Quartz Valley Reservation of California; Quinault
Tribe of the Quinault Reservation, Washington; Shoalwater Bay Tribe of
the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation, Washington; Skokomish Indian
Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, Washington; Smith River Rancheria,
California; Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington;
Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington; and Yurok Tribe
of the Yurok Reservation, California that this notice has been
published.
Dated: July 14, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-19330 Filed 8-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S