2023-11013. Notice of Inventory Completion: Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Central Washington University has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Kitsap County, WA.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice may occur on or after June 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Lourdes Henebry-DeLeon, Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Central Washington University, 400 University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926–7544, 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 Central Washington University. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records held by Central Washington University.

Description

In October of 1949, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed by Sverre Halvorsen Seabold from under a stump while clearing a driveway on Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, WA. In January of 1950, Sverre Halvorsen Seabold donated the human remains to the Burke Museum, University of Washington, where they were assigned accession no. 3578 and catalog no. 19–13. In 1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred the human remains and six associated funerary objects to Central Washington University, where they were assigned accession ID Box BA. The human remains consist of a cranium and portions of the postcranial skeleton. No known individuals were identified. The six associated funerary objects are four shell fragments and two small animal bone fragments.

In 1958, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from the “City Park” (Evergreen Park) in the city of Bremerton, Kitsap, WA, by staff at Olympic Jr. College (now Olympic College). The human remains were sent to the Burke Museum, University of Washington and accessioned in 1963 (no. 1963–22). In 1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred the human remains to Central Washington University, where they were assigned CWU accession ID Box BC. On the outside of the box containing these human remains is written “Found in City Park, Bremerton 1958.” No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Cultural Affiliation

The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were used to reasonably trace the relationship: archeological, biological, geographical, and historical.

Determinations

Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, Central Washington University has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The six objects described in this notice 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.
• There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:

1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.

2. 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 human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after June 23, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, Central Washington University must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing requests. Central Washington University is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribe identified in this notice.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10, and 10.14.

Dated: May 17, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.