[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 31, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16175-16176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7254]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Cultural and Natural 
History, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, 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 and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Museum of Cultural and Natural 
History, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Arenac, 
Isabella, and Saginaw Counties, 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 and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Museum 
of Cultural and Natural History professional staff and physical 
anthropologists from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, and 
the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and in consultation with 
representatives of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of

[[Page 16176]]

Odawa Indians, Michigan, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of 
Michigan.
    In 1970, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from Point Lookout, 20AC18, in Arenac County, MI. Students 
from Central Michigan University and amateur archeologists excavated 
the site and the material was immediately turned over to the Museum of 
Cultural and Natural History. No known individuals were identified. The 
11 associated funerary objects are 2 (reconstructed) ceramic vessels, 1 
piece of worked bone, 1 small sheet of copper, 1 bag of ochre sand, 1 
stone object, 1 bag of ceramic sherds, 1 group of copper beads and bead 
fragments, 1 stone tool, 1 bone needle, and 1 tooth from an unknown 
animal.
    Archeological evidence dates the material from the Early Late 
Woodland Era, and the determination is supported by publications of the 
State Archaeologist's Office of Michigan. The human remains were 
identified as being of Native American ancestry based on archeological 
dating and osteological examination.
    In 1970-1971, human remains representing a minimum of 18 
individuals were removed from Indian Mound Park, 20IB1, in Isabella 
County, MI. Faculty and students from Central Michigan University 
excavated the site and the material was immediately turned over to the 
Museum of Cultural and Natural History. No known individuals were 
identified. The five associated funerary objects are one celt, one 
projectile point, and three ceramic sherds.
    Archeological evidence dates the material from the Early Late 
Woodland Era, and the determination is supported by publications of the 
State Archaeologist's Office of Michigan. The human remains were 
identified as being of Native American ancestry based on archeological 
dating and osteological examination.
    From 1968 to 1970, and in 1972, human remains representing a 
minimum 124 individuals were removed from the Frazier-Tyra site, 20SA9, 
in Saginaw County, MI. Amateur archeologists excavated the site from 
1968 to 1970, and turned over the material to the Anthropology 
Department of Central Michigan University, which transferred it to the 
Museum of Cultural and Natural History in the early 1990s. Students 
from Central Michigan University excavated the site again in 1972, and 
immediately turned over the materials they found to the Museum of 
Cultural and Natural History. No known individuals were identified. The 
372 associated funerary objects are 285 ceramic sherds, 76 pieces of 
lithic debitage, 4 scrapers, 1 piece of copper, 1 abrading stone, 1 
projectile point, 1 piece of conch, 1 bag of ochre, 1 pipe and 1 pipe 
fragment.
    Archeological evidence dates the material from the Early Late 
Woodland Era, and the determination is supported by publications of the 
State Archaeologist's Office of Michigan. The human remains were 
identified as being of Native American ancestry based on archeological 
dating and osteological examination.
    The area of Arenac, Isabella, and Saginaw Counties in mid-Michigan 
has a long established history of Native American occupation before 
European encroachment in the early 17th century. The Anishnaabek, which 
is comprised of the Odawa/Ottawa, Ojibwe/Chippewa and Potawatomi, have 
long called this area home. Officials of the Museum of Cultural and 
Natural History have reasonably determined that the individuals 
described above from Arenac, Isabella, and Saginaw Counties are Native 
American, however, officials of the Museum of Cultural and Natural 
History have determined that the evidence is insufficient to determine 
cultural affiliation with any present-day Indian tribe.
    Officials of the Museum of Cultural and Natural History have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of 144 individuals of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Museum of Cultural and 
Natural History also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(3)(A), the 388 objects 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. Lastly, officials of 
the Museum of Cultural and Natural History 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 associated 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 Museum of Cultural and Natural History requested 
that the Review Committee recommend disposition of the 144 culturally 
unidentifiable human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan, and the Saginaw 
Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan, as the aboriginal occupants of 
the lands encompassing the present-day Arenac, Isabella, and Saginaw 
Counties, MI. The Review Committee considered the proposal at its May 
23 - 24, 2009 meeting and recommended disposition of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of 
Odawa Indians, Michigan, and the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians of 
Michigan. A September 16, 2009, letter on behalf of the Secretary of 
Interior from the Designated Federal Official transmitted the 
authorization for the museum to effect disposition of the culturally 
unidentifiable human remains and associated funerary objects to the two 
Indian tribes listed above 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 and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Pamela Gates, NAGPRA Representative, Museum 
of Cultural and Natural History, 103 Rowe Hall, Central Michigan 
University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, telephone (989) 774-3341, before 
April 30, 2010. Disposition of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan, and the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Museum of Cultural and Natural History is responsible for 
notifying the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan, and 
the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: March 2, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-7254 Filed 3-30-10; 8:45 am]
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