[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]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S