[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2082-2083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-520]


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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 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 Beltrami 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 Leech 
Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band 
of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, 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, six 
individuals were recovered from site 21-BL-22, Lake Irving, Beltrami 
County, MN. The remains were removed during construction of a building 
and subsequently transferred to Bemidji State University. In 1990, the 
human remains were transferred to the MIAC (H170). No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    These human remains are associated with the Woodland Tradition, a 
broad archeological classification which cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from the Bemidji area, Beltrami County, MN, by 
unknown person(s). In 1974, the remains were donated to the Minneapolis 
Public Library and subsequently, at an unknown date, were donated to 
the Science Museum of Minnesota (Acc. A74:14:1). In 1994, the human 
remains were transferred to the MIAC (H257). 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. These human remains have 
no archeological classification and cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    In 1998, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from site 21-BL-37, Midway site, Beltrami County, MN. 
The remains were removed during an archeological survey by Rose Kluth 
of the Leech Lake Heritage Sites Program, and transferred to the 
Minnesota Office of the State Archeologist. In 2002, the human remains 
were transferred to the MIAC (H379). No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    These human remains are associated with the Woodland Tradition, a 
broad archeological classification which cannot be associated with any 
present-day Indian tribe.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were recovered from a road construction project on Hwy 197 
in Beltrami County, MN, and transferred to the Minnesota Office of the 
State Archaeologist. In 2002, the human remains were transferred to the 
MIAC (H392). No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    The condition of the remains and femora 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, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from an undesignated site in Diamond Point Park in 
Bemidji, Beltrami County, MN. The remains were removed during an 
archeological survey by The 106 Group Ltd. and transferred to the 
Bemidji Police Department, who transferred them to the Minnesota Bureau 
of Criminal Apprehension--Bemidji Office for identification. The human 
remains were identified as pre-contact American Indian based on the 
condition of the bones and dental morphology. The human remains were 
then transferred to the MIAC (H426). No

[[Page 2083]]

known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Patterns of dental attrition 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.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an undesignated site on the east side of 
Lake Bemidji, Beltrami County, MN, by unknown person(s) and transferred 
to the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office. In 2007, the human remains 
were transferred to the MIAC (H428). No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The condition of the remains and the context of recovery 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, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from a site in Bemidji, Beltrami County, MN. The remains 
were removed during a sewer construction project and transferred to the 
MIAC (H444). No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The condition of the remains and the context of recovery identify 
these human remains as pre-contact American Indian affiliation. These 
human remains from Beltrami County 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 12 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. 2012-520 Filed 1-12-12; 8:45 am]
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