[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5103-5104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2018]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: 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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the University of 
Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 
that meet the definition of ``unassociated funerary objects'' under 25 
U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    In 1883, M.L. Eaton collected 27 cultural items ``from Indian 
graves in Michigan''. The cultural items were accessioned into the 
museum in 1894. The 27 unassociated funerary objects are 6 copper loop/
ball earrings (identified as A04767; catalog number 101-22-03-94); 1 
group of blue/green glass beads (A04768; 101-22-03-94); 1 copper alloy 
bead together with organic material (A14993; 101-22-03-94); 1 group of 
shell beads (A14994; 101-22-03-94); 1 individual glass bead (A14995; 
101-22-03-94); 1 copper alloy brooch (A14998; 101-22-03-94); 10 
whitish-colored bead fragments (A15418; 101-22-03-94); 1 group of 
copper alloy wire/cone earring fragments (A15419; 101-22-03-94); 1 
copper alloy pendant (A15420; 101-22-03-94); 1 group of copper alloy 
fragments together with organic material (A15420; 101-22-03-94); 1 
piece of lead wire (A15421; 101-22-03-65); 1 copper alloy brooch sewn 
onto a piece of cloth (A18208; 101-22-03-94); and 1 piece of leather or 
bark (A18209; 101-22-03-94).
    Based on this historical information, the museum has determined 
that these objects ``taken from Indian graves in Michigan'' are, more 
likely than not, Native American funerary objects. The museum is unable 
to determine whether or not these objects are associated with human 
remains, as there are no human remains from these burials in the museum 
collection. Therefore, the museum considers them to be unassociated 
funerary objects. Finally, the museum has concluded that it is unable 
to determine by a reasonable belief that the unassociated funerary 
objects are culturally affiliated with any present-day Indian tribe. 
Nevertheless, the museum has determined that, more likely than not, the 
funerary objects 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 
(3)(B), the 27 cultural items described above are reasonably believed 
to have been placed with or near individual human remains at the time 
of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony and are 
believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed from 
a specific burial site of a Native American individual. Officials of 
the University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), a 
relationship of shared group identity cannot be reasonably traced 
between the unassociated funerary objects 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 ``culturally 
unidentifiable'' unassociated funerary objects 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 funerary objects were found within their 
aboriginal territory. The Review Committee considered the proposal at 
its May 23 - 24, 2009 meeting, and recommended disposition of the 
unassociated funerary objects 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 
recommendation for the museum to effect disposition of the funerary 
objects 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, to

[[Page 5104]]

the extent allowed by Federal, state, or local law, and contingent on 
the publication of a Notice of Intent to Repatriate in the Federal 
Register. This notice fulfills that requirement.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects 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 unassociated 
funerary objects 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. 2010-2018 Filed 1-29-10; 8:45 am]
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