Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army, Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill, OK

Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 2014)

Federal Register Volume 79, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 2014)

Notices

Pages 53749-53750

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2014-21531

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-16306; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000

Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army, Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill, OK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate

Page 53750

Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request with information in support of the request to the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum at the address in this notice by October 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Scott A. Neel, Director, Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, OK 73503, telephone (580) 442-6570, email scott.a.neel2.civ@mail.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 and associated funerary objects under the control of the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill, OK.

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 and associated funerary objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum and Fort Sill Environmental Quality Division professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

In 1966, Morgan Otis died in a car accident in California, and he was interred in the Fort Sill Post Cemetery shortly thereafter. A collection of items were recovered from the vehicle and later sent to the Fort Sill Museum where Morgan Otis was a volunteer honorary associate curator. There is no documentary evidence concerning how and when these items entered the museum's collections. Human teeth representing, at minimum, one individual were included in the collection. Morgan Otis was the great nephew of Chief Big-Bow, a Kiowa Chief, and documentation records his ancestry as Kiowa. Historical records also indicate that he was also related to Spotted Wolf, who was Southern Arapaho. No lineal descendents have been identified. The 322 associated funerary objects consist of 311 beads of various types and colors, 1 ceramic disk, 1 metal key, 2 buttons, 2 metal tokens, 3 copper rings and 2 copper bracelets.

Determinations Made by the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum

Officials of the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum have determined that:

Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.

Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 322 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.

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 associated funerary objects and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma) and the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request with information in support of the request to Dr. Scott A. Neel, Director, Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, OK 73503, telephone (580) 442-6570, email scott.a.neel2.civ@mail.mil, by October 10, 2014. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma) and the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may proceed.

The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum is responsible for notifying the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-

Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma, that this notice has been published.

Dated: July 17, 2014.

Melanie O'Brien,

Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.

FR Doc. 2014-21531 Filed 9-9-14; 8:45 am

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