[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 45990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17430]


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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 Alaska State 
Museum, Juneau, AK, and in the Control of the U.S. Department of the 
Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office, Anchorage, AK

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 Alaska State Museum, Juneau, 
AK, and in the control of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Land Management, Alaska State Office, Anchorage, AK.
    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 the 
Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office and the Alaska State 
Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Kenaitze Indian Tribe and Seldovia Village Tribe.In 1956, human remains 
representing a minimum of one individual were removed from Halibut 
Cove, Kachemak Bay, AK, during legally authorized work by archeologist 
Joel M. Moss. Mr. Moss donated the remains to the Alaska State Museum 
the same year. The human remains are estimated to date to the 19th 
century or earlier. No known individual was identified. The single 
associated funerary object is a stone lamp.Based on cranial morphology, 
stratigraphy, and an associated funerary object, this individual has 
been identified as Native American. Based on geographic location, this 
individual is affiliated with Athabaskan culture and, specifically, 
with the Athabaskan tribe represented by the Seldovia Village Tribe. 
This determination of cultural affiliation is based upon the continuity 
of Native American occupation in the Kachemak Bay, AK, area and 
verification by representatives of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe that 
Kachemak Bay is within the traditional territory of the Tainana 
Athabaskans. Members of the Seldovia Village Tribe report use of the 
Kachemak Bay area by their ancestors.Based on the above-mentioned 
information, officials of the Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State 
Office have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human 
remains listed above represent the physical remains of one individual 
of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Bureau of Land 
Management, Alaska State Office also have determined that, pursuant to 
43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the one object listed above is 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 Bureau of Land Management, Alaska State Office 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 tribes represented by the Seldovia 
Village Tribe.This notice has been sent to officials of the Kenaitze 
Indian Tribe and the Seldovia Village Tribe. Representatives of any 
other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with these human remains should contact Dr. Robert E. King, Alaska 
State NAGPRA Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, 222 West 7th 
Avenue, Number 13, Anchorage, AK 99513-7599, telephone (907) 271-5510, 
before August 12, 2002. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object to the Seldovia Village Tribe may begin 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated:April 25, 2002.
Robert Stearns,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-17430 Filed 7-10-02; 8:45 am]
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