Notice2025-05809
Notice of Intended Repatriation: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Primary source
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Published
April 4, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the American Museum of Natural History intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 14866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05809]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039836; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: American Museum of Natural
History, New York, NY
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the American Museum of Natural History
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition
of sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony and that have a
cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after May 5, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Nell Murphy, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central
Park West, New York, NY 10024, telephone (212) 769-5837, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fc9291898e8c9485bc9d919294d2938e9b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3856554d4a485041785955565016574a5f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
American Museum of Natural History, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 103 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The 103 sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony are basketry,
aprons, deerskins, dresses, skirts, hats, headdresses/head ornaments,
necklaces, eagle feathers, flints, gambling sticks, whistles, quivers,
a model bow, and a shinny stick. The majority of these items (93 total)
were collected on behalf of the Museum by anthropologist Alfred Louis
Kroeber in the Klamath region of California. They were collected on the
Museum's Huntington Expedition 1902 and accessioned that same year. The
items are described in Museum records as having come from ``along the
Klamath River.'' Kroeber describes them as being Yurok in origin.
The remaining items came to the Museum as gifts acquired through
various small accessions. One basket was donated to the Museum by J.G.
Phelps Stokes and accessioned in 1906. Five items (two bowl-shaped
baskets, two basketry hats, and one small basket) were donated to the
Museum by Mrs. William M. Ivins, accessioned in 1915. One woman's skirt
was donated to the Museum by Col. J.M. Andrews and accessioned in 1924.
One dance apron was donated to the Museum in 1942 by Faith Whitney
Ziesing, daughter of Caspar Whitney, a founding member of the Explorers
Club. One skin cap, collected by Major Junius W. MacMurray, a veteran
of the U.S. Civil War, was donated to the museum in 1946 and
accessioned that year. Finally, one basketry hat was found in Museum
storage in 1995 and does not have any associated archival material.
While it no longer does so, in the past, the Museum applied
potentially hazardous pesticides to items in the collections. Museum
records do not list specific objects treated or which of several
chemicals used were applied to a particular item. Therefore, those
handling this material should follow the advice of industrial
hygienists or medical personnel with specialized training in
occupational health or with potentially hazardous substances.
Determinations
The American Museum of Natural History has determined that:
<bullet> The 103 sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony
described in this notice are, according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional
Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice
traditional Native American religion, and have ongoing historical,
traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American
group, including any constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan,
lineage, ceremonial society, or other subdivision).
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People
(previously listed as Resighini Rancheria, California) and the Yurok
Tribe of the Yurok Reservation, California.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after May 5, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the American Museum of Natural History must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a
single request and not competing requests. The American Museum of
Natural History is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this
notice and to any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: March 26, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-05809 Filed 4-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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