[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16490-16492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7380]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of Chadron State 
College, Chadron, NE

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of Chadron State College, Chadron, 
NE.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Rick 
Weathermon of the University of Wyoming as consultant to Chadron State 
College. The staff of Chadron State College has consulted with and 
provided a report describing the findings of the University of Wyoming 
assessments of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Assiniboine and Sioux 
Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana; Blackfeet Tribe of 
the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana; Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe 
of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Cheyenne-Arapaho 
Tribes of Oklahoma; Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma; Crow Creek Sioux 
Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, South Dakota; Crow Tribe of 
Montana; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Tribe of 
the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation, New Mexico; Kiowa Indian Tribe 
of Oklahoma; Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, 
South Dakota; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Northern 
Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; 
Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Oglala Sioux 
Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Omaha Tribe of 
Nebraska; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud 
Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Santee Sioux Tribe of the Santee 
Reservation of Nebraska; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Spirit 
Lake Tribe, North Dakota; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South 
Dakota; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North 
Dakota; and Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.

[[Page 16491]]

    At unknown dates, human remains representing eight individuals were 
donated to Chadron State College. Circumstances involving the original 
acquisitions of the human remains and associated funerary objects are 
unknown. Based on other known collection practices, the human remains 
and associated funerary objects may have been collected during student 
field trips or as a result of inadvertent discovery by local ranchers, 
farmers, or amateur archeologists in the following areas: Harding, 
Pennington, Bennett, Perkins, Shannon, Lawrence, Jackson, Butte, 
Custer, Todd, Meade, and Fall River counties in South Dakota; and 
Dawes, Kimball, Morrill, Sheridan, Cherry, Scottsbluff, Cheyenne, 
Arthur, Sioux, Grant, Keith, McPherson, Banner, Box Butte, and Hooker 
counties in Nebraska. The remains were stored in the pathology 
laboratory and earth science laboratory in the Chadron State College 
Science and Mathematics building. No known individuals were identified. 
The seven associated funerary objects include a vial of fabric 
fragments and small glass trade beads; glass perfume bottles; brass 
armbands or bracelets; a necklaces made of glass beads; brass beads; 
bone hair pipes; and a projectile point found imbedded in an 
individual.
    Based on osteological and historical information, the individuals 
have been determined to be Native American. Analysis of funerary 
objects associated with two of the individuals indicates that they were 
interred after A.D. 1889. Based on analysis of a chert arrow point 
found embedded in a third individual, the date of interment was between 
the late prehistoric period and A.D. 1870. The five other individuals 
were interred between the archaic period and the prehistoric period. 
Based on historical records and archeological evidence, the Apache, 
Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sioux, Crow, Shoshone, Ute, Pawnee, 
Omaha, Ponca, and Otoe have occupied, traveled through, or hunted in 
the region proximate to Chadron State College, Agate Fossil Beds 
National Monument and the Pine Ridge Reservation. Historic treaties, 
land-claim cases, and other legal materials indicate that the Cheyenne, 
Arapaho, Sioux, Crow, Omaha, Ponca, and Pawnee have legal connections 
to the area. The Kiowa, Apache, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sioux, Crow, Pawnee, 
and Ponca have contemporary cultural connections to the area. A 
conference was convened on December 4, 2000, by Chadron State College 
for the purpose of discussing the cultural affiliation and repatriation 
of the human remains and associated funerary objects in the possession 
of the college. At this conference representatives from the Cheyenne 
River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota 
provided oral history evidence of shared group identity and cultural 
affiliation to the human remains. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the 
Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota represents the Rosebud Sioux 
Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Oglala Sioux 
Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Santee Sioux Tribe 
of the Santee Reservation of Nebraska; and Yankton Sioux Tribes of 
South Dakota in repatriation of all human remains and cultural items in 
the possession and control of museums and Federal agencies, as 
authorized in an inter-tribal Memorandum of Agreement.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Chadron 
State College have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the 
human remains listed above represent the physical remains of eight 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Chadron State 
College have also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 
seven objects listed above are reasonably believed to have been placed 
with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as 
part of the death rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of the Chadron 
State College have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there 
is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably 
traced between these Native American human remains and associated 
funerary objects and the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Assiniboine and 
Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana; Blackfeet 
Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana; Cheyenne River 
Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Cheyenne-
Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma; Crow Creek 
Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, South Dakota; Crow Tribe of 
Montana; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Tribe of 
the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation, New Mexico; Kiowa Indian Tribe 
of Oklahoma; Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, 
South Dakota; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Northern 
Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; 
Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Oglala Sioux 
Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Omaha Tribe of 
Nebraska; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud 
Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Santee Sioux Tribe of the Santee 
Reservation of Nebraska; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Spirit 
Lake Tribe, North Dakota; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South 
Dakota; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North 
Dakota; and Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. This notice has been 
sent to officials of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Assiniboine and 
Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana; Blackfeet 
Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana; Cheyenne River 
Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Cheyenne-
Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma; Crow Creek 
Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, South Dakota; Crow Tribe of 
Montana; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Tribe of 
the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation, New Mexico; Kiowa Indian Tribe 
of Oklahoma; Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, 
South Dakota; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Northern 
Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; 
Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Oglala Sioux 
Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Omaha Tribe of 
Nebraska; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud 
Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Santee Sioux Tribe of the Santee 
Reservation of Nebraska; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Spirit 
Lake Tribe, North Dakota; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South 
Dakota; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North 
Dakota; and Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Representatives of any 
other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with these human remains and

[[Page 16492]]

associated funerary objects should contact Dr. Monty G. Fickel, Dean, 
School of Mathematics and Science, Chadron State College, 1000 Main 
Street, Chadron, NE 69337, telephone (308) 432-6293, before April 25, 
2001. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, 
South Dakota may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.

    Dated: March 13, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships
[FR Doc. 01-7380 Filed 3-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F