2023-21392. 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 associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The associated funerary objects were removed from Chico, CA.

DATES:

Repatriation of the associated funerary objects 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 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

Between 1963 and 1984, CSU Chico conducted excavations at the Finch Site (CA–BUT–12). In addition, Joseph Chartkoff (then of UCLA) led an excavation at the site in the summer of 1967. Subsequently, Michigan State University obtained items from the site that had been excavated by Chartkoff. In the summer of 2023, Michigan State University transferred these items to CSU Chico, to be repatriated with the ancestors and associated funerary objects from the Finch Site (CA–BUT–12) listed by CSU Chico in a Notice of Inventory Completion published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2023. The 56 associated funerary objects are one lot consisting of soil, three modified faunal elements, one organic item, two lots consisting of unmodified shells, eight lots consisting of modified stones, four lots consisting of stone debitage, and 37 projectile points.

Cultural Affiliation

The 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, oral traditional, and expert opinion obtained through tribal consultation.

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 56 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 Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the 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 associated funerary objects in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after October 30, 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 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: September 25, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.