2023-13640. Notice of Inventory Completion: California State University, Chico, Chico, CA

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California State University Chico (CSU Chico) 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 Butte County, CA.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice may occur on or after July 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Dawn Rewolinski, California State University, Chico, 400 W 1st Street, Chico, CA 95929, 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 CSU Chico. 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 CSU Chico.

Description

Accession 1

Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from five sites in the city of Chico, in Butte County, CA (CA–BUT–0168, CA–BUT–0186, CA–BUT–0226, CA–BUT–0284, and CA–BUT–0286). In 1940, these sites were visited by Meigs (who was affiliated with Chico State), and in 1955, they were visited by Burchard. Both men collected cultural items from the sites. The sites were formally recorded in the spring of 1964 by Dorothy Hill and Professor Keith Johnson, who led a Chico State Anthropology Department Archaeological Survey class. During this survey, additional items were collected. Items removed during the three collection events were accessioned by the Chico State Department of Anthropology in March of 1964. The 33 associated funerary objects are one cordage sample, one lot consisting of debitage, five modified faunal elements, nine modified stones, 14 projectile points, and three modified shells.

Accession 80

Human remains representing, at minimum, six individuals were removed by workers at Butte Farms, in Butte County, CA. In 1974, the property donated the burial collection to CSU Chico. The one associated funerary object is an edge modified flake.

Accession 253

Accession 253 consists of humans remains representing, at minimum, four individuals. These human remains derive from archeological recoveries, public donations, and forensic cases. 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: anthropological, archeological, historical, and expert opinion.

Determinations

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

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of 11 individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 34 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 Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California; Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; and the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians of California.

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 identified in this notice and, if joined to a request from one or more of the Indian Tribes, the Konkow Valley Band of Maidu, a non-federally recognized Indian group.

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 July 27, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, CSU Chico 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. CSU Chico is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes 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: June 14, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.