[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 58426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23930]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Gilcrease
Institute of American History and Art, Tulsa, OK
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 cultural items in the possession of the Thomas Gilcrease
Institute of American History and Art (Gilcrease Museum), Tulsa, OK,
that meet the definition of objects 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
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
The nine cultural items are Waxo'be bundles belonging to the Osage
people. The bundles were part of the Emil Lenders Collection that was
brought to the Gilcrease Museum during the early half of the 20th
Century. The bundles were part of a sizeable collection of Native
American artifacts acquired by the Gilcrease Museum for the
preservation of North American history.
The first bundle is made of buckskin with a scalp lock and twisted
wool that are seen from the open end (84.1749). The second bundle has a
long buckskin strap for an Osage War bundle that has an eagle foot and
human scalp attached (84.1750 a-h). The third bundle is made with a
wrapped buckskin strap that ties a woven buffalo hair bag with eagle
foot and human scalp attached (84.1751 a-i). The fourth bundle is made
of buckskin and laced at the ends with buckskin thongs, buckskin tying
strap, and a woven inner bag (84.1753 a-b). The fifth bundle is made of
buckskin and contains a partially woven inner bag and woven buffalo
hair bag and tied with two leather thongs (84.1754). The sixth bundle
has an outer strip and an outer bag, as well as two inner bags, and a
buckskin strap for tying prisoners (84.1757 a-i). The seventh bundle
has an outer bag of woven buffalo hair with an inner bag made of
buckskin with a woven mat inside (84.1759). The outer strap has animal
hair and human scalp locks on buckskin with a rawhide ring tied on the
bundle with calico. The eighth bundle has an outer covering of woven
matting with borders of natural, black and red eagle quills (84.1761).
The ninth bundle has an outer bag of woven buffalo hair with an inner
bag of buckskin and woven mat inside. The outer strap is animal hair
and human scalp locks on buckskin (84.1762).
Waxo'be bundles and their components have on-going historical and
cultural importance to the Osage people. They are also owned by the
Osage people and not by any single individual. In the past, bundles and
their components were the central symbolic elements of ceremonies
related to Osage cosmology, the traditional religion practiced before
adoption of the Native American Church by the Osage. While these
specific ceremonies related to Osage cosmology are no longer practiced
today, bundles and their components continue to hold immense spiritual
significance and sacred power for the Osage people requiring protection
of these objects and extremely limited exposure.
Officials of the Gilcrease Museum have determined that, pursuant to
25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the nine 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. Officials of the Gilcrease Museum 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 objects of
cultural patrimony and the Osage Nation, Oklahoma.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the objects of cultural patrimony should
contact Dr. Duane H. King, Executive Director, or Eric Singleton,
Assistant Curator of Anthropology, Gilcrease Museum, 1400 N. Gilcrease
Museum Rd., Tulsa, OK 74127, telephone (918) 596-2793 before October
25, 2010. Repatriation of the objects of cultural patrimony to the
Osage Nation, Oklahoma, will proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The Gilcrease Museum is responsible for notifying the Osage Nation,
Oklahoma, that this notice has been published.
Dated: September 10, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-23930 Filed 9-23-10; 8:45 am]
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