Commission on Indian Services archeaological

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Legislative Commission on Indian Services Phone: 503-986-1067 LCIS@oregonlegislature.gov Address: 900 Court St. NE, Room 167, Salem, OR 97301 Patrick Flanagan, Executive Director

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Archaeological Information

Treatment of Native American Human Remains Discovered Inadvertently or Through Criminal Investigations on Private and Public, State-Owned Lands in Oregon

Native American burial sites are not simply artifacts of the tribe's cultural past, but are considered sacred and represent a continuing connection with their ancestors. Native American ancestral remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony associated with Oregon Tribes are protected under state law, including criminal penalties (ORS 97.740-.994 and 358.905-.961). The laws recognize and codify the Tribes' rights in the decision-making process regarding ancestral remains and associated objects. Therefore, both the discovered ancestral remains and their associated objects should be treated in a sensitive and respectful manner by all parties involved.

Identification of Human Remains

Oregon laws (ORS 146.090 & .095) outline the types of deaths that require investigation and the accompanying responsibilities for that investigation. The law enforcement official, district medical examiner, and the district attorney for the county where the death occurs are responsible for deaths requiring investigation. Deaths that require investigation include those occurring under suspicious or unknown circumstances.

If human remains that are inadvertently discovered or discovered through criminal investigations are not clearly modern, then there is high probability that the remains are Native American and therefore ORS 97.745(4) applies, which requires immediate notification with State Police, State Historic Preservation Office, Commission on Indian Services, and all appropriate Native American Tribes. To determine who the "appropriate Native American Tribe" is, the responsible parties should contact the Legislative Commission on Indian Services (LCIS). To determine whether the human remains are Native American, the responsible parties should contact the appropriate Native American Tribes at the initial discovery. It should be noted that there may be more than one appropriate Native American Tribe to be contacted.

If the human remains are possibly Native American then the area should be secured from further disturbance. The human remains and associated objects should not be disturbed, manipulated, or transported from the original location until a plan is developed in consultation with the above named parties. These actions will help ensure compliance with Oregon state law that prohibits any person willfully removing human remains and/or objects of cultural significance from its original location (ORS 97.745).

All parties involved and the appropriate Native American Tribes shall implement a culturally sensitive plan for reburial.

Notification

State law [ORS 97.745 (4)] requires that any discovered human remains suspected to be Native American shall be reported to:

State Police

Lieutenant Craig Heuberger, Cell (503) 508-0779, Dispatch (503) 731-3030

State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)

Primary contact = John Pouley, Interim State Archaeologist, office phone (503) 480-9164

Legislative Commission on Indian Services (LCIS)

Contact = Danny Santos, Interim Director, office phone (503) 986-1067. LCIS will provide the list of appropriate Native American Tribes

All appropriate Native American Tribes provided by LCIS

Contacts Below

Tribe	Contact Information	Edit
BURNS PAIUTE TRIBE	Diane Teeman 100 Pasigo Street, Burns, OR 97720 C: 541-413-1190 / F: 541-573-1375 E: dlteeman.burns.paiute@gmail.com
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE	Briece Edwards Deputy Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Manager of Historic Preservation Office 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, OR 97347 P: 503-879-2084 E: thpo@grandronde.org
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF SILETZ INDIANS	Robert Kentta Cultural Resources Director 201 SE Swan Avenue Siletz, OR 97380 P: 541-444-8244 / F: 541-444-2307 E: rkentta@ctsi.nsn.us
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE COOS, LOWER UMPQUA AND SIUSLAW INDIANS	THPO 1245 Fulton Avenue, Coos Bay, OR 97420 C: 541-297-5543 / P: 541-888-7513 F: 541-888-2853 E: THPO@ctclusi.org Jesse Beers P: 541-888-1319 / F: 541-888-0302 E: jbeers@ctclusi.org
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION	Teara Farrow Ferman Cultural Resources Program Manager Dept. of Natural Resources 46411 Timíne Way Pendleton, OR 97801 P: 541-276-3447 / F: 541-429-7203 E: tearafarrowferman@ctuir.org Bambi Rodriguez P & F: 541-429-7203 E: bambirodriguez@ctuir.org
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE WARM SPRINGS RESERVATION	Christian Nauer Cultural Resources Director P: 541-553-2026 E: christian.nauer@ctwsbnr.org thpo@ctwsbnr.org
COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE	Kassandra Rippee Archaeologist 3050 Tremont Street North Bend, OR 97459 C: 541-808-5554 / P: 541-756-0904 ext. 10216 F: 541-756-0847 E: kassandrarippee@coquilletribe.org Bridgett Wheeler Director, Education, Culture & Library Services P: 541-756-0904 E: bridgettwheeler@coquilletribe.org
COW CREEK BAND OF UMPQUA TRIBE OF INDIANS	Jeremy Johnson Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) 2371 Stephens Street, Suite 100 Roseburg, OR 97470 P: 541-677-5575 ext. 5577 / F: 541-677-5574 E: jjohnson@cowcreek.com
KLAMATH TRIBES	Perry Chocktoot Culture & Heritage Director 501 Chiloquin Blvd Chiloquin, OR 97624 P: 541-783-2764 ext. 107 / F: 541-783-2029 E: perry.chocktoot@klamathtribes.com

Oregon State Legislature archeaological

​Legislative Commission on Indian Services

Phone: 503-986-1067

LCIS@oregonlegislature.gov Address: 900 Court St. NE, Room 167, Salem, OR 97301Patrick Flanagan, Executive​ Director

Archaeological Information

Legislative Commission on Indian Services

LCIS@oregonlegislature.gov
Address: 900 Court St. NE, Room 167, Salem, OR 97301
Patrick Flanagan, Executive Director