The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum) has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains 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 should submit a written request to the Burke Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

In 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed by Dr. Harold G. Bergen from the Bone Weaving Needle Site in Fort Rock Valley, Lake County, OR. This site was designated 35-R by Dr. Bergen. The human remains were held by Dr. Bergen until 1989, when they were accessioned by the Burke Museum (Burke Accn. #1989-57). No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

The Fort Rock Valley area is within the traditional territory of the Yahuskin and Walpapi bands of the Northern Paiute (Ruby et al., 1986), who inhabited the lands around the Goose, Silver, Warner, and Harney Lakes (Swanton, 1968). These lands were ceded in 1864, per the terms of the 1864 Treaty of Klamath Lake with the Klamath and Modoc Tribes and Yahooskin Band of Snake Indians. The Yahuskin and Walpapi bands were assigned to the Klamath Reservation, and relocated there after the treaty was ratified. Based on geographic, ethnographic and archaeological evidence, the human remains have been culturally affiliated with the Yahuskin and Walpapi bands, who are represented today by the Klamath Tribes.