[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5108-5109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2016]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Nebraska State 
Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

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 the 
University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 
Lincoln, NE. The human remains were removed from Midland County, MI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25

[[Page 5109]]

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 University 
of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Bay Mills Indian 
Community, Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux 
Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little 
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian 
Tribe of Michigan.
    In 1883, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from an unidentified site in the City of Midland, in 
Midland County, MI, by M.L Eaton. The human remains have been under the 
control of the museum since 1894 (Accn. 20MD0/Catalog 
1.01; Accn. 20MDD0/Catalog 1.02). No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Museum catalog records state that the individuals were found in an 
``Indian grave.'' Based on this information and an analysis of the 
human remains by a forensic anthropologist employed by the museum, the 
museum has concluded that, more likely than not, the two individuals 
are Native American. Based on green copper stains on the mental 
eminence of one individual (Catalog 1.02), the museum has 
dated these remains to the historic period.
    The museum has concluded that it is unable to determine by a 
reasonable belief that the human remains are culturally affiliated with 
any present-day Indian tribe. Nevertheless, the museum has determined 
that, more likely than not, the human remains were removed from the 
aboriginal lands of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand 
Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; and 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
    Officials of the University of Nebraska State Museum, University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln, have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-
10), the human remains described above represent the physical remains 
of two individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
have also 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.
    The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review 
Committee (Review Committee) is responsible for recommending specific 
actions for disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains. In 
February 2009, the University of Nebraska State Museum requested that 
the Review Committee recommend disposition of the two culturally 
unidentifiable human remains to the Bay Mills Indian Community, 
Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; 
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa 
Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and 
Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan, because the 
human remains were found within their aboriginal territory. The Review 
Committee considered the proposal at its May 23 - 24, 2009 meeting, and 
recommended disposition of the human remains to the above-listed Indian 
tribes.
    A September 16, 2009, letter from the Designated Federal Officer, 
writing on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, transmitted the 
authorization for the museum to effect disposition of the physical 
remains of the culturally unidentifiable individuals to the Bay Mills 
Indian Community, Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux 
Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little 
Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian 
Tribe of Michigan, contingent on 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 
Priscilla C. Grew, NAGPRA Coordinator, University of Nebraska State 
Museum, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0338, telephone (402) 472-
3779, before March 3, 2010. Disposition of the human remains to the Bay 
Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; 
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian 
Tribe of Michigan may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-
Lincoln is responsible for notifying the Bay Mills Indian Community, 
Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; 
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa 
Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and 
Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: December 16, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-2016 Filed 1-29-10; 8:45 am]
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