[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 233 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75905-75906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31075]


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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 Ramsey 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).

[[Page 75906]]

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 
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota; Lower Sioux Indian 
Community in the State of Minnesota; Prairie Island Indian Community in 
the State of Minnesota; Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska; Spirit Lake 
Tribe, North Dakota; and the Upper Sioux Community, 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 removed from Manitou/Spirit Island, White Bear Lake, in 
Ramsey County, MN, and donated to the Minnesota Historical Society by 
Capt. E. Bell (MHS ORR48). The human remains were transferred 
to the MIAC in 1987. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The condition of the remains and the location of discovery suggest 
pre-contact/ancient American Indian affiliation. These human remains 
have no archeological classification and cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    In 1997, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from site 21-RA-44, at the base of a bluff along the 
Mississippi River by hikers. The human remains were recovered by the 
Saint Paul Police Department and turned over to the Ramsey County 
Medical Examiner's Office (RCMEO 97-1359) for identification. In 1997, 
the human remains were transferred to the MIAC (H335). No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The condition of the remains and dental patterns of attrition 
identify these human remains as pre-contact American Indian 
affiliation. 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. 2011-31075 Filed 12-2-11; 8:45 am]
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