[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 75 (Thursday, April 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20942-20943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8293]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Michigan Technological University 
Department Of Social Sciences Archaeology Laboratory, Houghton, MI

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 in the possession of 
Michigan Technological University Department of Social Sciences 
Archaeology Laboratory, Houghton MI. The human remains were removed 
from the Gros Cap Cemetery (20MK6) in Moran Township, Mackinac County, 
MI.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by professional 
staff from the Michigan Technological University Department of Social 
Sciences Archaeology Laboratory and Illinois State Museum, Springfield, 
IL, in consultation with representatives of the Bay Mills Indian 
Community, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan.
    In 1979, the human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from the surface of the Gros Cap Cemetery site, 20MK6, 
Mackinac County, MI. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    The Gros Cap Cemetery site (20MK6) is an active township cemetery 
in the present day, sharing a site with a purported multi-ethnic 17th 
century cemetery. The human remains had been exposed on the surface by 
unknown processes. Both prehistoric pottery of unknown age or ethnic 
affiliation, as well as 19th century coffin parts were recovered in 
association with the human remains. The human remains from 20MK6 were 
recovered from lands historically occupied by the Bay Mills Indian 
Community of Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of

[[Page 20943]]

Chippewa Indians of Michigan. Based on the information, the officials 
of Michigan Technological University Department of Social Sciences 
Archaeology Laboratory reasonably determined that the human remains 
were likely Native American. However, the officials of Michigan 
Technological University Department of Social Sciences Archaeology 
Laboratory considered the available information insufficient to 
conclude that the human remains are culturally affiliated to a present-
day Indian tribe, and reasonably determined the human remains to be 
culturally unidentifiable.
    Officials of the Michigan Technological University Department of 
Social Sciences Archaeology Laboratory have determined that, pursuant 
to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9-10), the human remains described above likely 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Michigan Technological University Department 
of Social Sciences Archaeology Laboratory also have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared group identity 
cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains 
and any present-day Indian tribe.
    In July of 2007, the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan; Little 
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie 
Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan formally requested disposition of 
the human remains from Michigan Technological University to their 
tribes. Tribal representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community of 
Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; and 
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan agree that they 
historically occupied the geographic area where the Gros Cap Cemetery/
Burial site is located, and continue to have a presence in the area 
mentioned.
    In July of 2007, officials of Michigan Technological University 
requested that the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation 
Review Committee (Review Committee) recommend disposition of the one 
culturally unidentifiable human remains from 20MK6, and further 
requested that the committee recommend disposition of the human remains 
to the Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan; Little Traverse Bay 
Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians of Michigan. The Review Committee is responsible for 
recommending specific actions for disposition of culturally 
unidentifiable human remains.
    On October 15-16, 2007, the Review Committee considered the request 
and concurred with the proposal for the disposition of the culturally 
unidentifiable human remains to the Bay Mills Indian Community of 
Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; and 
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan. In a letter 
dated November 28, 2007, the Department of the Interior considered the 
Review Committee's recommendation and independently concurred with its 
findings and recommendations to proceed with the disposition pursuant 
to the publication of a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal 
Register. This notice fulfills that requirement.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Susan R. Martin, Michigan Technological University Department of Social 
Sciences Archaeology Laboratory, Houghton, MI 49931, telephone (906) 
487-2366, before May 19, 2008. Disposition of the human remains to the 
Bay Mills Indian Community of Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of 
Odawa Indians, Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians 
of Michigan may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    The Michigan Technological University Department of Social Sciences 
Archaeology Laboratory is responsible for notifying the Bay Mills 
Indian Community of Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa 
Indians, Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of 
Michigan that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 12, 2008.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-8293 Filed 4-16-08; 8:45 am]
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