[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23800-23801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10365]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item: Virginia Museum
of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent
to repatriate a cultural item in the possession of the Virginia Museum
of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, that meets the definition of ``object of
cultural patrimony'' under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
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 cultural
item. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
The cultural item is a ceremonial headdress made of wood, eagle or
eider down, sea lion whiskers, ermine hide, abalone shell, feathers,
and fibers (VMFA accession 55.31.7). The headdress is
approximately 17.25 inches in height, 10 inches in width, and 9.5
inches in diameter (43.7 cm x 25.2 cm x 24.2 cm). The mask portion of
the headdress is composed of a polychrome carved wooden bird holding a
limp object in its beak, and the right wing of the mask has been broken
off and repaired. A stylized face appears beneath the beak, which is
flanked by applied vertical wings. The nose of the face is a bird's
head, turned upward. The eyes and teeth are made of abalone shell. The
top of the headdress is decorated with alternating sea lion
[[Page 23801]]
whiskers and red-shafted flicker feathers. The headdress itself is
lined with ermine hide, and ermine hide also hangs from the back of the
headdress.
In 1955, the headdress was purchased by the Virginia Museum of Fine
Arts from the Portland Art Museum, OR (Portland Art Museum accession
48.3.439). Records from the Portland Art Museum read as
follows: ``Purchase, Indian Collection Subscription Fund. To be known
as the Axel Rassmussen Collection. Vendor, Earl Stendahl.''
Representatives of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida
Indian Tribes, specifically the L[uacute]kaax.[aacute]di clan, a
Tlingit clan, have identified that this headdress represents the
Kingfisher Fort. The Kingfisher Fort is a site of cultural and historic
importance to the L[uacute]kaax.[aacute]di clan, and this Kingfisher
Fort Headdress (Tlax'aneis' Noow Shaakee.[aacute]t) is needed for
continuing their cultural ceremonies. Representatives of the Central
Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes have also provided
evidence that this headdress is an object of cultural patrimony. It is
communally owned and, at the time of removal had - and continues to
have - ongoing, historical, traditional, and cultural importance
central to the Tlingit society and culture. Furthermore, no tribal
member consented to alienate it, and no evidence exists to demonstrate
that its transfer outside the tribe was voluntary.
Officials of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the cultural item described above has
ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the
Native American group or culture itself, rather than property owned by
an individual. Officials of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 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
object of cultural patrimony and the Central Council of the Tlingit &
Haida Indian Tribes.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the object of cultural patrimony should
contact Kelly Burrow, Assistant Registrar, Virginia Museum of Fine
Arts, 200 N. Blvd., Richmond, VA 23220, telephone (804) 204-2669,
before June 3, 2010. Repatriation of the object of cultural patrimony
to the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes may proceed
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is responsible for notifying the
Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes that this notice
has been published.
Dated: March 25, 2010.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-10365 Filed 5-3-10; 8:45 am]
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