2010-15595. Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession of the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human remains were removed from Lopez Island, San Juan County, WA.

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Burke Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington.

In 1949, human remains representing a minimum of one individual were removed from site 45-SJ-186, Lopez Island, San Juan County, WA. The remains were excavated by a University of Washington field school under the supervision of Mr. Carroll Burroughs, and transferred to the Burke Museum in 1951 (Burke Accn. #3649). In 2010, the human remains were found in a level bag at the museum. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Historical documentation indicates that the southern Lopez Island area is part of the Samish aboriginal territory (Suttles (1951 and 1990), Smith (1941), Roberts (1975), and Tremaine (1975)). The Treaty of Point Elliot in 1855 stated that the Samish were to be relocated to the Lummi Reservation. After the Treaty of Point Elliot, many Samish individuals relocated to either the Lummi Reservation or the Swinomish Reservation (Ruby and Brown 1986:179). Many Samish, however, chose to remain in their old village sites.

Officials of the Burke Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains of at least one individual of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Burke Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington.

Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone [phone], before July 28, 2010. Repatriation of the human remains to the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington, may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington, that this notice has been published.

Dated: June 22, 2010

Sherry Hutt,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.