[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 233 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75906-75907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31074]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, 
Bemidji, MN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council has completed an 
inventory of human remains in consultation with the appropriate Indian 
tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives 
of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with the human remains may contact the Minnesota Indian Affairs 
Council. Disposition of the human remains to the Indian tribes 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 should contact the 
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council at the address below by January 4, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: James L. (Jim) Jones, Cultural Resource Director, Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue NW., Suite 5, Bemidji, MN 
56601, telephone (218) 755-3223.

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 in the 
possession of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC). The human 
remains were removed from Itasca County, MN.
    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. The National Park Service 
is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the MIAC 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Bois 
Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; 
Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Mille Lacs 
Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota; and the White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota (hereinafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were recovered from the Big Fork River in Itasca County, MN. 
At an unknown date, Itasca County Sheriff John Muhar transferred the 
human remains to the Itasca County Historical Society. In 1985, the 
human remains were transferred to the MIAC (H108-1). No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The condition of the remains and cranial morphology identify these 
human remains as pre-contact American Indian affiliation. These human 
remains

[[Page 75907]]

have no archeological classification and cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    In the 1970s, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were recovered from an undesignated location in Itasca 
County, MN. The archeological recovery took place during the Pokegama 
Survey 66 conducted by archeologist Richard Lane, from St. 
Cloud State University. The human remains were maintained at St. Cloud 
State University (Acc. 106) until 2006. In 2006, the human 
remains were transferred to the MIAC (H418-3). No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The condition of the remains and related material recovered during 
the archeological survey, which included ceramic and lithic habitation 
materials, suggests a pre-contact American Indian context. These human 
remains have no archeological classification and cannot be associated 
with any present-day Indian tribe.

Determinations Made by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council

    Officials of the MIAC have determined that:
     Based on non-destructive physical analysis and catalogue 
records, the human remains 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 any present-day Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains were 
removed is the aboriginal land of The Tribes.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains is to The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains or any other Indian tribe 
that believes it satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should 
contact James L. (Jim) Jones, Cultural Resource Director, Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue NW., Suite 5, Bemidji, MN 
56601, telephone (218) 755-3223, before January 4, 2012. Disposition of 
the human remains to The Tribes may proceed after that date if no 
additional requestors come forward.
    The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council is responsible for notifying 
The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 29, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-31074 Filed 12-2-11; 8:45 am]
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