[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 14052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5881]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Sabine River Authority of Texas, 
Quitman, TX

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 control of Sabine River Authority of Texas, Quitman, TX. 
The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
Hunt County, TX.
    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 University 
of North Texas and the Sabine River Authority of Texas professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Caddo Nation of 
Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; and the Wichita and Affiliated 
Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco and Tawakonie), Oklahoma.
    On or about June 16, 2006, human remains representing a minimum of 
one individual were removed from the lakebed of Lake Tawakoni, in Hunt 
County, TX, by an unknown person. The remains were exposed due to 
drought related low water levels in Lake Tawakoni in the Caddo Inlet, 
and subsequently reported to the Hunt County Sheriff's Department. The 
Sheriff's Department sent the remains to the University of North Texas, 
Denton, TX, for forensic evaluation. The human remains and non-human 
bone fragments, which are considered to be associated funerary objects, 
were turned over to the Sabine River Authority of Texas on July 6, 
2006. No known individual was identified. The 20 associated funerary 
objects are non-human bone fragments.
    Dr. Harrell Gill-King, Anthropologist, University of North Texas, 
performed an examination of the human and non-human remains at the 
request of the Hunt County Sheriff's Department. Dr. King's 
investigation determined that the human remains are of a 30-50-year-old 
male of Native American ancestry and estimated to be over 200 years 
old.
    The Texas Historical Commission suggested that the Caddo Nation of 
Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; and the Wichita and Affiliated 
Tribes, Oklahoma, may have inhabited the region approximately 200-300 
years ago. Following initial correspondence with the Indian tribes, the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes have indicated that the remains are 
affiliated with their tribe based on the age of the remains and the 
tribe's presence in the area during that time period. The Caddo Nation 
of Oklahoma agreed that the age of the remains and their location at 
the edge of the Caddo Nation's original homelands, indicated that the 
remains were likely to be affiliated with the Wichita and Affiliated 
Tribes. The Comanche Nation, Oklahoma indicated that if the remains 
were buried 200 years ago, then the remains were probably not 
affiliated with the Comanche Nation.
    Officials of the Sabine River Authority of Texas have determined, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), that the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Sabine River Authority of Texas also have 
determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), that the 20 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 Sabine River 
Authority of Texas have determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), that 
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 Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Melvin Swoboda, Sabine River Authority of Texas, 
P.O. Box 579, Orange, TX 77631-0579, telephone (409) 746-2192, before 
April 14, 2011. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Oklahoma, may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    Sabine River Authority of Texas is responsible for notifying the 
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; and the Wichita 
and Affiliated Tribes, Oklahoma, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 9, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-5881 Filed 3-14-11; 8:45 am]
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