[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86360-86361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25178]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038953; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: South Dakota State 
Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City, SD, and South Dakota State 
Historical Society Pierre, SD

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the South Dakota State Historical Society's 
divisions of the Archaeological Research Center (ARC) and the State's 
Museum (SDSHSM) intend to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets 
the definition of an unassociated funerary object and that has a 
cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or 
after November 29, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dustin Lloyd, South Dakota State Historical Society 
Archaeological Research Center, 937 East North Street, Suite 201, Rapid 
City, SD 57701, telephone (605) 391-2928, email 
[email protected].

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 the 
South Dakota State Historical Society (SDSHS), and additional 
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results 
of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The 
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of one cultural item has been requested for repatriation. 
The one unassociated funerary object is a political peace medal, a 
Jefferson Peace Medal.
    Based on the information available from both the SDSHS donor 
records, collector's notes, historical accounts, and oral tradition, 
this Jefferson Peace medal was removed from its burial context in a 
Sahnish (Arikara) village in 1935 by a teenager. The political medal in 
question is reasonably believed to have been presented to the Arikara 
chief Lightning Crow in 1804 by Lewis and Clark. Upon their return to 
the village in 1806, the medal had been transferred to another Arikara 
chief, Grey Eyes. Chief Grey Eyes was known to have the medal in his 
possession at or around the time of this death.
    The medal was retained by the family of the teenage boy until its 
donation to the SDSHS on September 17, 2004. Recently, the family 
provided additional information on the medal's origins, which confirmed 
its original provenience from a burial context.
    Despite establishing a reasonable owner of the unassociated 
funerary object, no lineal descendant was located. At this time, SDSHS 
staff have not identified any known lineal descendant(s).
    Additionally, the above-described unassociated funerary object was 
not

[[Page 86361]]

treated with any type of hazardous chemicals/substances nor treated 
with any type of preservation agent or chemical while in the care and 
custody of the SDSHS. It is reasonably believed that the previously 
mentioned private citizens did not treat the medal with any type of 
hazardous or preservative chemical, substance, or agent.

Determinations

    The SDSHS have determined that:
     The one unassociated funerary object described in this 
notice is reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or 
near human remains, and is connected, either at the time of death or 
later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American 
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a 
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The 
unassociated funerary object has been identified by a preponderance of 
the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or 
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an 
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe 
or Native Hawaiian organization.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural item 
described in this notice and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort 
Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be 
submitted by 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 cultural item in this notice to a requestor may 
occur on or after November 29, 2024. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the SDSHS must determine the most 
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the cultural item are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. The SDSHS ais responsible for sending a copy of 
this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
identified in this notice and to any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: October 22, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-25178 Filed 10-29-24; 8:45 am]
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