[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 175 (Monday, September 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53469-53470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14932]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Northern Arizona, 
Flagstaff, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, 
AZ. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
Maricopa County, AZ.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Museum 
of Northern Arizona professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak 
Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Colorado River Indian Tribes of the 
Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona and California; Gila River 
Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-
Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp 
Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of the 
Yavapai Reservation, Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico.
    In 1978 and 1979, human remains representing a minimum of 83 
individuals were removed from the Cashion site (NA 14690), Maricopa 
County, AZ, during archeological investigations conducted by the Museum 
of Nothern Arizona on behalf of the Arizona Nuclear Power Project. The 
investigations took place prior to the construction of a wastewater 
conveyance system to cool the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. 
The Cashion site is a large Hohokam settlement south of the town of 
Cashion and north of the confluence of the Salt and Gila Rivers in 
central Arizona. No known individuals were identified. The 796 
associated funerary objects are 325 pottery and ceramic fragments; 102 
jewelry items and fragments; 1 reed mat; 121 soil, faunal bone, C-14, 
pollen, and wood samples; and 247 tools and implements.
    Based on archeological evidence, associated funerary objects, and 
geographic location, the human remains are determined to be Native 
American. Archeological evidence indicates that the Salt River area of 
central Arizona was occupied approximately A.D. 700-900 by the Hohokam 
people, for whom cremation was a common mortuary practice. Many of the 
individuals removed from the Cashion site were cremations.
    Archeological, historical, and oral tradition evidence indicate 
that there is a relationship of shared group identity between the 
Hohokam people and the present-day Piman and O'odham cultures, 
represented by the Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona. According to oral traditions of the Hopi and Zuni, 
segments of the prehistoric Hohokam population migrated to areas that 
were occupied by Hopi and Zuni and were assimilated into the resident 
populations. Therefore, there is also a

[[Page 53470]]

relationship of shared group identity between the Hohokam and the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Officials of the Museum of Northern Arizona have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of 83 individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Museum of Northern Arizona also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 796 objects 
described above are reasonably believed to have been placed with the 
individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the 
death rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of the Museum of Northern 
Arizona have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is 
a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects and the Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River 
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Gloria Lomahaftewa, Museum of Northern Arizona, 
3101 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, telephone (928) 774-
5211, extension 228, before October 11, 2006. Repatriation of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Ak-Chin Indian Community 
of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River 
Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt 
River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; or Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico may proceed after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Museum of Northern Arizona is responsible for notifying the Ak-
Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona and California; Gila River Indian Community of the 
Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pascua 
Yaqui Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of 
the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; 
Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of the Yavapai Reservation, Arizona; and Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 21, 2006
C. Timothy McKeown,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-14932 Filed 9-8-06; 8:45 am]
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