2023-21250. Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: California State University, 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) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony, and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The cultural items were removed from Placer and Sutter Counties, CA.

DATES:

Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on or after October 30, 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 the California State University, 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 summary or related records held by the California State University, Chico.

Description

Accession 351

In 2002, two objects of cultural patrimony were archeologically recovered at the Holiday Inn Express site in Roseville, Placer County, CA, by the Archeological Research Program at CSU, Chico. The two objects of cultural patrimony are one lot consisting of metal and one lot consisting of unmodified faunal remains.

Accession 429

At an unknown date, six cultural items—two unassociated funerary objects and four objects of cultural patrimony—were removed from Placer and Sutter Counties, CA. Subsequently, these items became part of the collection of Dale Ritter. In 2019, Ritter's son, Eric Ritter, donated these items to the Chico State Anthropology Department. The two unassociated funerary objects are one lot consisting of modified shells and one lot consisting of unmodified shells. The four objects of cultural patrimony are one lot consisting of modified stones, one lot consisting of stone debitage, one lot consisting of modified shells, and one lot consisting of unmodified shells.

Cultural Affiliation

The cultural items 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 in the form of Tribal traditional knowledge.

Determinations

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

• The two cultural items described above 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native American individual.
• The six cultural items described above have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American group or culture itself, rather than property owned by an individual.
• There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the cultural items and the United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California.

Requests for Repatriation

Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 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 October 30, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the California State University, Chico 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 California State University, Chico 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 10.8, 10.10, and 10.14.

Dated: September 20, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.