[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 435-436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31222]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of Anthropology, 
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

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

[[Page 436]]

(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human 
remains in the possession and control of the Department of 
Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. The human 
remains were removed from a tributary of the Spokane River, WA.
    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 the 
Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Coeur 
d'Alene Tribe of the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho; Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Kalispel Indian 
Community of the Kalispel Reservation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe, 
Idaho; and Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Washington.
    In 1940, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from a talus slope of a tributary of the Spokane River in 
Washington State. The human remains were excavated by David L. Stone. 
The grave was located on one of the tributaries of the Spokane River, 
in one of three possible counties (Spokane, Stevens or Lincoln County), 
but the exact location is unknown. A note accompanying the human 
remains, presumably written by Stone, states that the human remains 
were excavated from a grave that was originally marked with a 20 ft. or 
longer cedar stake, and that they were believed to be approximately 500 
years old. The history of how these human remains came to be in the 
collection of the Department of Anthropology at the University of 
Massachusetts, Amherst is unknown. No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    During consultation, a tribal representative of the Coeur d'Alene 
Tribe stated that the tribe occupied the head of the Spokane River down 
to the Spokane Falls and Hangman Creek areas with settlements to the 
north and south. In particular, one band of the Coeur d'Alene occupied 
the Spokane River area. Traditional burial practices of the Coeur 
d'Alene included the burying of ancestors along talus slopes, which 
matches the description by Stone regarding the burial and its 
placement. In addition, during consultation, tribal representatives for 
the Spokane Tribe stated that the Spokane River, including tributaries 
such as Hangman Creek and Little Spokane River, are the ancestral 
homeland of the Upper Band of Spokane Indians. Spokane representatives 
also stated that their traditional burial practices included burial 
along talus slopes with cedar stakes as markers, which also matches the 
description by Stone regarding the burial and its placement. Based on 
consultation and museum records, museum officials reasonably believe 
the human remains are Native American and ancestral to the Coeur 
d'Alene Tribe of the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho, and/or the 
Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Washington.
    Officials of the Department of Anthropology, University of 
Massachusetts, Amherst, have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the physical 
remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst also 
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 the Coeur d'Alene Tribe 
of the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho, and/or the Spokane Tribe of 
the Spokane Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Robert 
Paynter, Repatriation Committee Chair, Department of Anthropology, 
University of Massachusetts, 201 Machmer Hall, 240 Hicks Way, Amherst, 
MA 01003, telephone (413) 545-2221, before February 4, 2010. 
Repatriation of the human remains to the Coeur d'Alene Tribe of the 
Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho, and/or Spokane Tribe of the Spokane 
Reservation, Washington, may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, 
Amherst is responsible for notifying the Coeur d'Alene Tribe of the 
Coeur d'Alene Reservation, Idaho; Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington; Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel 
Reservation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho; and Spokane Tribe of 
the Spokane Reservation, Washington that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: November 27, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-31222 Filed 1-4-10; 8:45 am]
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