[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2080-2081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-515]


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

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.

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

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 February 13, 
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 Chippewa 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 Bad 
River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad 
River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of 
South Dakota; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles 
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert 
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Leech Lake Band of 
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Lower Sioux Indian Community 
in the State of Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Prairie Island 
Indian Community in the State of Minnesota; Red Cliff Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa 
Indians, Minnesota; Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska; Sisseton-Wahpeton 
Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota; Sokaogon Chippewa 
Community, Wisconsin; Spirit Lake Tribe, North Dakota; St. Croix 
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Upper Sioux Community, 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 five individuals 
were removed from site 21-CP-28, Lac qui Parle Mission, Chippewa 
County, MN, by an unknown individual who donated the human remains to 
the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS 293). In 1993, the human remains 
were transferred to the MIAC (H282). No known

[[Page 2081]]

individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The context of recovery and dental morphology identify these human 
remains as pre-contact American Indian affiliation. The remains have no 
archeological classification and cannot be associated with any present-
day Indian tribe.
    In 2007, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from site 21-CP-64, an eroding bank on the east shore of the Minnesota 
River, just above the Lac qui Parle Mission site. The remains were 
recovered by the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office and transferred to 
the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist, and then transferred 
to the MIAC (H435). No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Femora morphology identifies these human remains as American 
Indian. A single tongue-river silica flake recovered from the shoreline 
in the immediate vicinity of the grave supports the identification. The 
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 seven 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 February 13, 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: January 9, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-515 Filed 1-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P