[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28078-28079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11850]



[[Page 28078]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Western Michigan University, 
Anthropology Department, Kalamazoo, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Western Michigan University, Anthropology Department, has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day tribe. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects may contact the Western Michigan University, Anthropology 
Department. Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the tribe stated below may occur if no additional requestors 
come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact the Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology, at the address below by June 13, 2011.

ADDRESSES: LouAnn Wurst, Department of Anthropology, Western Michigan 
University, 1005 Moore Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, telephone (269) 387-
2753.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 Western Michigan 
University, Anthropology Department, Kalamazoo, MI. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects were removed from Allegan 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) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Western 
Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band 
of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, 
Michigan and Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. 
The Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan 
and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan have sent the Western 
Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, letters of support and 
do not object to disposition of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice to the Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1968, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from Allegan Dam Site, in Valley Township, Allegan County, 
MI, during an excavation by a Western Michigan University archeological 
field school under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth B. Garland. The 
burial consisted of a single individual placed in a semi-flexed 
position in a deep pit. The human remains were in a poor state of 
preservation. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In April 1978, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the Harrington III Site, in Saugatuck 
Township, Allegan County, MI. The burial was excavated by Dr. Richard 
Flanders, an archeologist formerly at Grand Valley State University, 
Allendale, MI. This individual was placed in a shallow pit in a semi-
flexed position. After recovery, the Harrington III burial was sent to 
Western Michigan University for curation and further study by Dr. 
Robert Sundick. The human remains represent a male, between 45 and 60 
years of age. No known individual was identified. The two associated 
funerary objects are turtle shells.
    Based on skeletal and dental morphology, as well as cultural 
materials associated with the Harrington II Site (including two ceramic 
pots that are not part of the museum collection), the site dates to 
circa A.D. 1000, during the Late Woodland period.
    In 1968, human remains representing a minimum of 36 individuals 
were removed from the Brainerd Ossuary, in Valley Township, Allegan 
County, MI, during an excavation by Dr. Elizabeth B. Garland through 
the university's archeological field school. The burials were 
encountered in a large ossuary pit that measured 11 x 15 feet and 
extended 5 feet below the ground surface. The skeletal remains were 
heavily disturbed due to plowing and the effects of previous intrusive 
pits, which were likely dug by amateurs. After recovery, the remains 
were transferred to Western Michigan University for further study and 
curation. No known individuals were identified. The two associated 
funerary objects are pieces of chipped stone debitage.
    The Brainerd Ossuary was dated to the late Middle Woodland period 
based on a radiocarbon date of A.D. 440 +/- 130 years.

Determinations Made by the Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology

    Officials of the Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology, have determined that:
     Based on skeletal and dental morphology, and a radiocarbon 
date obtained from a charcoal sample that dates the Allegan Dam Site to 
the Upper Mississippian occupation of the Late Woodland period (13th 
century A.D), the human remains are Native American.
     Based on skeletal and dental morphology, as well as 
cultural materials associated with the Harrington II Site, the human 
remains and associated funerary objects are Native American.
     Based on the date of the Brainerd Ossuary, the human 
remains and associated funerary objects are Native American.
     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.
     Multiple lines of evidence, including the Chicago Treaty 
of 1833 and oral tradition, indicate that the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of 
Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, 
Michigan and Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 38 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the four objects 
described above are

[[Page 28079]]

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.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains is to the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan 
and Indiana.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects or any other Indian tribe that believes it satisfies the 
criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should contact LouAnn Wurst, Department 
of Anthropology, Western Michigan University, 1005 Moore Hall, 
Kalamazoo, MI 49008, telephone (269) 387-2753, before June 13, 2011. 
Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana, may proceed 
after that date if no additional requestors come forward.
    The Western Michigan University, Anthropology Department, is 
responsible for notifying the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of 
Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, 
Michigan and Indiana; and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan, 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 9, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-11850 Filed 5-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-50-P