[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36671-36672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-15577]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Western Michigan University, 
Anthropology Department, Kalamazoo, 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 Western Michigan University, Anthropology 
Department, Kalamazoo, MI. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Kent County, 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.

[[Page 36672]]

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Western 
Michigan University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan, 
and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan.
    In 1984, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from the Front and Leonard Street intersection, Kent 
County, MI, during the excavation of a building foundation. George 
Davis, then president of the Wright L. Coffinberry Chapter of the 
Michigan Archaeological Society, recovered as much of the material as 
possible after they had tumbled from the shovel of the tractor during 
the construction. It is not clear how or why they were transferred to 
Western Michigan University. No known individuals were identified. The 
five associated funerary objects are three turtle shell fragments, a 
badly rusted nail, and a kaolin pipe stem fragment.
    The human remains were determined to be of Native American ancestry 
based on skeletal and dental morphology. The determination of an early 
19th century date is based on typology of the kaolin pipe and the close 
proximity of these remains to a known 19th century Ottawa settlement, 
Noondays Village (20KT114). Consequently, the preponderance of 
osteological, historical, and consultation evidence connects the 
remains found at Front Avenue and Leonard Street to the Little River 
Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan.
    In 1990, human remains representing a minimum of six individuals 
were removed from Riverside Drive, Lowell, Kent County, MI. The remains 
were uncovered during installation of a fire hydrant and water main. 
Upon discovery, Dr. Robert Sundick was called to the site to conduct an 
excavation of the remains. After completion, the remains were sent with 
Sundick to Western Michigan University for curation and analysis. The 
68 associated funerary objects are 1 leather garment fragment decorated 
with small round cuprous brooches, 1 decorative cuprous item (possible 
ear wheel fragment), 3 cuprous Saturn-shaped bells, 8 wrought iron 
nails with remnants of wood which may be remains of a coffin, 53 glass 
beads (representing 27 black glass tubular beads and 26 purple glass 
seed beads), 1 small bag of very fragmented faunal remains, and 1 
pottery sherd.
    The human remains were determined to be of Native American ancestry 
based on skeletal and dental morphology. They were dated to the early 
19th century based on analysis of the garment fragment, the presence of 
glass trade beads, and typology of the other associated funerary 
objects.
    The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan, are well-
documented as occupying the Grand River Valley since at least the 17th 
century. All of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described above from the Kent County sites are, by a preponderance of 
the evidence, culturally affiliated with the Little River Band of 
Ottawa Indians, Michigan, whose ancestors include the Grand River 
Ottawa Bands.
    Officials of Western Michigan University have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of eight individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of Western Michigan University also have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 73 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 Western Michigan University 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 associated funerary objects and the 
Little River Bands of Ottawa Indians, Michigan.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact LouAnn Wurst, Department of Anthropology, 
Western Michigan University, 1005 Moore Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, 
telephone (269) 387-2753, before July 28, 2010. Repatriation of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Little River Band 
of Ottawa Indians, Michigan, may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    Western Michigan University is responsible for notifying the Little 
River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan, and the Little Traverse Bay 
Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: June 22, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-15577 Filed 6-25-10; 8:45 am]
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