[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 2384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1065]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item in the Possession
of the National Park Service, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Ajo,
AZ
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior
ACTION: Notice
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Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3005 (a)(2), of the intent to
repatriate a cultural item in the possession of the National Park
Service, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument which meets the definition
of ``unassociated funerary object'' under Section 2 of the Act.
The object is a large ceramic jar, reportedly recovered from the
gravesite of Tomas, a Hia-Ced O'odham medicine man. Museum records
indicate that the jar was donated in 1972 to the National Park Service
by Mrs. Ramona Mattia, a lineal descendant of Tomas. Information
provided by members of the Hia-Ced O'odham Alliance, a non-federally
recognized Indian group, indicates that the jar is typical of the type
of objects placed near a medicine man's burial site.
Repatriation of the jar has been requested by Josephine Martinez,
Tomas' brother's daughter's daughter's daughter. The Hia-Ced O'odham
Alliance has provided genealogical information documenting Mrs.
Martinez's relationship to Tomas and supports her claim of lineal
descent based on the traditional kinship system of the Hia-Ced O'odham.
Mrs. Mattia, now deceased, is the daughter of Mrs. Martinez. This
genealogical information is available in the records at the Monument.
Officials of the National Park Service have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), this object is reasonably believed
to have been placed with or near the remains of Tomas at the time of
death or later as part of a death rite or ceremony. Officials of the
National Park Service have also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C.
3005 (a)(5)(A), Mrs. Martinez can trace her ancestry directly and
without interruption by means of the traditional kinship system of the
Hia-Ced O'odham to Tomas.
This notice has been sent to Josephine Martinez, officials of the
Tohono O'Odham Nation of Arizona, Ak Chin Indian Community of Papago
Indians of Arizona, Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of
Arizona, and the Hia-Ced O'odham Alliance, a non-federally recognized
Indian group. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes
itself to be culturally affiliated with this object should contact
Harold Smith, Superintendent, National Park Service, Organ Pipe Cactus
National Monument, Route 1, Box 100, Ajo, Arizona; telephone: (520)
387-6849 before February 18, 1997. Repatriation of these objects to
Josephine Martinez may begin after that date if no additional claimants
come forward.
Dated: January 6, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Chief, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-1065 Filed 1-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
