2024-26467. Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA

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Department of the Interior

National Park Service

1. [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039040; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of California, Riverside intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects 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 December 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Megan Murphy, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92517-5900, 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 University of California, Riverside, 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 four cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The four lots of unassociated funerary objects are one lot of shell beads, one lot of arrowheads, one lot of faunal bones, and one lot of metal. In 1980 the UCR Archaeological Research Unit was contracted by The Planning Center, Newport Beach, to conduct a survey of 236 acres in Indio, California. During the survey the archaeologists identified fifteen loci of cultural materials in the project area; three of the loci contained possible human cremations. The three possible cremations were all located within archaeological site CA-RIV-1970. The site was described in Archaeological Research Report #570 as a large area contained seven loci of artifact and bone concentrations. No human remains were reported to have been removed from site, however, the archaeologists removed about 30 complete and fragmentary burnt Olivella disk beads, 4 arrowhead fragments, burnt fish bone, and a piece of metal.

Determinations

The University of California, Riverside 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. ( print page 90049)
• There is a reasonable connection between the cultural items described in this notice and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, California; Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, California; Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians (previously listed as Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, California); Cahuilla Band of Indians; Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians, California; Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California; Ramona Band of Cahuilla, California; Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, California; and the Torrez Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, 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 December 16, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of California, Riverside 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 University of California, Riverside 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: November 5, 2024.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.