[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 910-911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-386]


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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 the U.S. 
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace 
Parkway, Tupelo, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

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 the U.S. Department of the 
Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway, Tupelo, MS.
    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 
National Park Service unit that has control or possession of these 
Native American human remains. The Assistant Director, Cultural 
Resources Stewardship and Partnerships is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by National 
Park Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee 
Nation, Oklahoma; Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of 
Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 
of North Carolina; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of 
Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee 
Tribe of Indians of Florida; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, 
Mississippi; Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of 
Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; 
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of 
Louisiana; and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma. 
The Shawnee Tribe, also known also as the ``Loyal Shawnee'' or 
``Cherokee Shawnee,'' a nonfederally recognized Native American group 
at the time that they were consulted, has since been recognized as 
eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United 
States to Indians because of their status as Indians under provisions 
of P.L. 106-568.
    In 1951 and 1963, human remains representing 124 individuals were 
recovered from the Mangum site during authorized National Park Service 
survey and excavation projects. No known individuals were identified. 
There are no funerary objects associated with the one individual 
recovered in 1951. The 123 individuals recovered in 1963 are associated 
with 34 funerary objects: 12 ceramic vessel fragments, 7 projectile 
points, 3 shell ornaments, 3 stone tools, 2 stone artifacts, 1 ceramic 
frog effigy, 1 celt, 1 polished stone, 1 tobacco pipe, 1 dipper, 1 
ceramic jar, and 1 cupreous metal fragment.
    The Mangum site is a large hilltop cemetery located in Claiborne 
County, MS. Objects recovered from the burials indicate that the site 
was in use during the Mississippian period (A.D. 1000-1650). The 
principal investigator of the 1963 excavation states that the burials 
date to approximately A.D. 1500, or possibly even more recently. In 
1540, the De Soto expedition likely encountered the Taensa people in 
the vicinity of the Mangum site. In 1682, the de La Salle expedition 
documented the Taensa and Tunica in the same area. In 1706, the Taensa 
were driven from the area, migrating first to Bayogula, and then to 
Mobile, where they may have settled with the Choctaw. In 1764, the 
Taensa again moved, first to the Red River in south Louisiana, and 
finally to the Bayou Boeuf area where they lived with the Chitimacha. 
Representatives of the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana have identified 
similarities between the burial practices observed at the Mangum site 
and those of the Chitimacha. Historical documentation also indicates 
that the Tunica buried individuals in hilltop cemeteries in open 
country, matching the burial practice observed on the Mangum site. 
Historical documentation indicates that some Taensa may have married 
into the Alabama tribe, the descendants of whom now constitute the 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas and the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma.
    Based on the above mentioned information, the superintendent of 
Natchez Trace Parkway has determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains 
of 124 individuals of Native American ancestry. The superintendent of 
Natchez Trace Parkway also has determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(2), the 34 objects listed above are reasonably believed to have 
been placed with or

[[Page 911]]

near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of 
a death rite or ceremony. Lastly, the superintendent of Natchez Trace 
Parkway has 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 recovered and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Jena Band of 
Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; and Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of 
Louisiana.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Absentee-Shawnee 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama- Coushatta Tribes of Texas; 
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; 
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; 
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, 
Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians 
of Florida; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muskogee 
(Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; 
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big 
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; Shawnee Tribe, 
Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian 
Tribe of Louisiana; and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of 
Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should contact Wendell Simpson, 
Superintendent, Natchez Trace Parkway, 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway, 
Tupelo, MS 38803, telephone (662) 680-4005, before February 7, 2002. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; 
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, 
Louisiana; and Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana may begin after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: October 19, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 02-386 Filed 1-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S