[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2085-2087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-516]


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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 and associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects 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 and 
associated funerary objects in the possession of the Minnesota Indian 
Affairs Council (MIAC). The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Becker and Wadena counties, 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.

[[Page 2086]]

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the MIAC 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Leech 
Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; and the White Earth Band of Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1970, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Dunton Locks area, Becker County, MN, by unknown 
person(s) and donated to the Becker County Historical Society (HR-1). 
In 1997, the human remains were transferred to the Minnesota Office of 
the State Archaeologist and subsequently transferred to the MIAC (H366) 
in 1999. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The red ochre staining on the human remains is consistent with 
American Indian mortuary practices over a broad temporal span and 
cannot be associated with any single archeological tradition. The human 
remains have no archeological classification and cannot be associated 
with any present-day Indian tribe.
    In 1955, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from the Rock Lake area, Becker County, MN, by unknown 
person(s) and donated to the Becker County Historical Society (HR-2). 
In 1997, the human remains were transferred to the Minnesota Office of 
the State Archaeologist and subsequently transferred to the MIAC (H364) 
in 1999. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The human remains have no archeological classification and cannot 
be associated with any present-day Indian tribe.
    In the 1980s, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were recovered from site 21BK37, Buck's Mill (aka 
Hildebrand site). The remains were collected by Mr. Hildebrand, the 
property owner, during construction of a garage and were donated to the 
Becker County Historical Society (HR-3). In 1997, the human remains 
were transferred to the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist and 
subsequently transferred to the MIAC (H365) in 1999. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present. Additional individuals were removed from this site in 1985, a 
notice of inventory completion was published in the Federal Register 
(FR 64 FR 43212, September 8, 1999) and the human remains from the 1985 
collection were repatriated and reburied.
    Site 21BK37 has no archeological classification. The human remains 
cannot be associated with any present-day Indian tribe.
    In 1954, human remains representing, at minimum, four individuals 
were recovered from the north shore of Detroit Lake (Steffen Lot), 
Becker County, MN, by unknown person(s) during basement construction 
and donated to the Becker County Historical Society (HR-5). In 1997, 
the human remains were transferred to the Minnesota Office of the State 
Archeologist and then to the MIAC (H363). No known individuals were 
identified. The twelve associated funerary objects include three bone 
needles made from the ribs of a black bear, six pieces of modified rib 
bone from a black bear, two unmodified fibulae from a black bear and 
one piece of quartz with red ochre pigment.
    The human remains are associated with the Archaic Tradition, a 
broad archeological classification which cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    In 1888, human remains representing, at minimum, four individuals 
were recovered from a mound in the city of Detroit Lakes, Becker 
County, MN, by Rev. W.A. Pratt and donated to the Becker County 
Historical Society (HR-6). In 1997, the human remains were transferred 
to the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist and subsequently 
transferred to MIAC (H361) in 1999. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The human remains are associated with the Woodland Tradition, a 
broad archeological classification which cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    In 1935, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were recovered from a mound (Mound Z/1), site 21BK9, on the north shore 
of Detroit Lake, MN, by Otto Zeck. At an unknown date, the human 
remains were transferred to J. Oothoudt who then transferred the human 
remains to the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist. In 2002, 
the remains were transferred to the MIAC (H383). No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The context of burial in a mound identifies the human remains with 
the Woodland Tradition, a broad archeological classification which 
cannot be associated with any present-day Indian tribe.
    In 2001, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from the Crow Wing River, Wadena County, MN, by two 
swimmers while wading in the river. The human remains were turned over 
to the Wadena County Sheriff's Department, who transferred them to the 
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and then to the Minnesota 
Office of the State Archaeologist. In 2004, the human remains were 
transferred to the MIAC (H408). No known individuals were identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    The condition and morphology of the human remains, in addition to a 
radiocarbon date (AD 1290-1420) obtained by the Minnesota Bureau of 
Criminal Apprehension, indicate pre-contact American Indian 
affiliation. The 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 associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the 
Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; the 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota and the White Earth Band of 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 17 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A) the 12 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.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains is to the Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota; the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota and the White 
Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.

[[Page 2087]]

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 Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota; the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota and the White 
Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota may proceed after 
that date if no additional requestors come forward.
    The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council is responsible for notifying 
the Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; the 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota and the White Earth Band of 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: January 9, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-516 Filed 1-12-12; 8:45 am]
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