Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains from the Puget Sound Area, WA, in the Possession of the Washington State Historical Society, Tacoma, WA

Federal RegisterOct 28, 1996

Ask Donna

What actually matters in this document.

Text

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains

from the Puget Sound Area, WA, in the Possession of the Washington

State Historical Society, Tacoma, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native

American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C.

3003 (d), of the completion of an inventory of human remains from the

Puget Sound area, WA, in the possession of the Washington State

Historical Society, Tacoma, WA.

A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Washington

State Historical Society professional staff in consultation with

representatives of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

In 1897-1898, human remains representing three individuals were

apparently donated to the Washington State Historical Society by Fay

Fuller, Mrs. Theodore Huggins, or Mr. Theodore Huggins, all Pierce

County residents. No known individuals were identified. No associated

funerary objects are present.

In 1917, human remains representing one individual from the Puget

Sound area were donated to the Washington State Historical Society by

Miss Ruby Blackwell. No known individuals were identified. No

associated funerary objects are present.

In 1920, human remains representing one individual were donated to

the Washington State Historical Society by Mr. C. Arthur Foss of

Tacoma, WA. Mr. Foss was known as a collector of Northwest Coast

artifacts. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary

objects are present.

Before 1921, human remains representing a minimum of one individual

were donated to the Washington State Historical Society by Mr. W.E.

Lowrie of Tacoma, WA. No known individuals were identified. No

associated funerary objects are present.

In 1957, human remains representing one individual were donated to

the Washington State Historical Society by Mrs. J.A. McLeod of Tacoma,

WA. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects

are present.

The record of early donations to the Washington State Historical

Society indicates these donations were generated from the local area of

Tacoma. Morphological evidence and these records, including intentional

cranial modification, other phyiscal characteristics, and geographic

location, indicate these individuals are Native Americans from the

Northwest Coast area. Historical documents and anthropological evidence

indicate this type of modification was practiced by coastal tribes from

British Columbia to Oregon into the historic period.

In August, 1996, the Washington State Historical Society and the

Puyallup Tribe of Indians jointly mailed correspondence to all Indian

tribes or Native Alaska Corporations with cultural ties to Northwest

coastal regions, proposing these individuals be repatriated for the

purpose of reburial. The proposal was sent to: AHTNA, Inc., the Aleut

Corporation, the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, the Bering Straits

Native Corporation, the Bristol Bay Native Corporation, the Calista

Corporation, the Chehalis Tribe, the Chugach Alaska Corporation, the

Confederated Tribe of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, the Cook

Inlet Region, Inc., the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Cow Creek Band of

Upmquah Indians, Doyon, Ltd., the Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Hoh Tribe,

the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Koniag, Inc., the Lummi Nation, the

Makah Tribe, the Muckleshoot Tribe, the NANA Corporation, the Nisqually

Tribe, the Nooksack Tribe, the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, the

Quinalut Nation, the Quileute Tribe, the Samish Tribe, the Sauk-

Suiattle Tribe, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, the Skokomish Tribe, the

Squaxin Island Tribe, the Stillaguamish Tribe, the Suquamish Tribe, the

Swinomish Tribe, Sealaska Corporation, the Siletz Tribe, the Suquamish

Tribe, the Swinomish Tribe, the Thirteenth Regional Corporation, the

Tulalip Tribes, and the Upper Skagit Tribe. The Wahkiakum Band of the

Chinook Tribe, a non-Federally recognized Native American group, was

also notified. As of September 3, 1996, letters of support from Bering

Straits Foundation on behalf of the Bering Straits Native Corporation,

Chugach Heritage Foundation on behalf of the Chugach Native

Corporation, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Koniag, Inc., the Sauk-

Suiattle Indian Tribe, the Swinomish

[[Page 55650]]

Tribe, and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe have been received. No

objecting comments have been recieved. Consultation evidence presented

by representatives of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and a joint review

of available ethno-historic and geographical evidence indicate the most

likely culturally affiliated Indian tribe is the Puyallup Tribe of

Indians.

Based on the above mentioned information, Washington State

Historical Society officials have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR

10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical

remains of seven individuals of Native American ancestry. Washington

State Historical Society officials have also determined that, pursuant

to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity

which can be reasonably traced between these Native American human

remains and associated funerary objects and the Puyallup Tribe of

Indians.

This notice has been sent to officials of AHTNA, Inc., the Aleut