2025-01187. Notice of Intended Repatriation: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK

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Department of the Interior

National Park Service

1. [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039353; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Gilcrease Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects or 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 February 18, 2025.

ADDRESSES:

Laura Bryant, Gilcrease Museum, 800 S. Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

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 Gilcrease Museum, 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 nine cultural items have been requested for repatriation.

The four unassociated funerary objects are glass and ceramic beads. These were removed in 1931 from a mid- to late 19th century cemetery at Rocky Hill near Portersville in Tulare County, California. The items were acquired by Thomas Gilcrease likely in the 1950s and transferred to the City of Tulsa in 1955. ( print page 5996)

The five objects of cultural patrimony are baskets. Three of these baskets are from Tulare County, California and are identified as Yokuts. One of these was acquired by Frank Engles, a prospector who traveled and collected throughout the northwestern part of the United States, in the early 20th century. Thomas Gilcrease purchased his collection in 1950, which was transferred to the City of Tulsa in 1955. Two of the baskets are identified as Yokuts. One, from the early 20th century, was gifted to the Museum by Wynetka Ann Reynolds and Thomas Kirschbaum in 2014.

Determinations

The Gilcrease Museum has determined that:

• The four unassociated funerary objects described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
• The five objects of cultural patrimony described in this notice 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), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
• There is a reasonable connection between the cultural items described in this notice and the Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River 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 February 18, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Gilcrease Museum 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 Gilcrease Museum 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: January 13, 2025.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.