[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5841-5842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2533]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of Anthropology, 
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of 
Anthropology has completed an inventory of human remains, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined 
that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may 
contact the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of 
Anthropology. Repatriation of the human remains to the Indian tribes 
stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the 
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Anthropology at the 
address below by March 7, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Robert Paynter, Repatriation Committee Chair, telephone 
(413) 545-2221, or Rae Gould, Repatriation Coordinator, telephone (413) 
545-2702, University of Massachusetts, Department of Anthropology, 201 
Machmer Hall, 240 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003.

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 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of 
Anthropology. The human remains were purchased by Harris Hawthorn 
Wilder of Smith College. They were later transferred to the University 
of Massachusetts Amherst for permanent curation in the 1970s.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). 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 
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Anthropology 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Buena 
Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; California Valley 
Miwok Tribe (Sheep Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians), California; 
Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, California; Elem Indian 
Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria, California; 
Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (Federated Coast Miwok), 
California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson Rancheria 
of Me-Wuk Indians, California; Middletown Rancheria (Lake Miwok), 
California; Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, California; Santa 
Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa Rancheria, California; Shingle 
Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona 
Tract), California; Table Mountain Rancheria, California; and the 
United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California 
(hereinafter referred to as ``The Tribes''). Representatives of the 
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Anthropology also 
contacted the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria 
of California; Wilton Rancheria, California; and the Tule River Indian 
Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California.

History and Description of the Remains

    In the early 1900s, two crania were purchased by Harris Hawthorn 
Wilder of Smith College, Northampton, MA, from Ward's Natural Science 
Establishment of Rochester, NY, and became part of the Wilder 
Collection at Smith College. They were transferred to the University of 
Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Anthropology in the 1970s for 
permanent curation. Both crania are represented by a complete skull and 
mandible. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Ward's Natural Science Establishment, which is still in operation 
today, could not provide further information about these two 
individuals. The Rush Rhees library, which holds the older collection 
of Ward's materials and catalogs, did not provide any further 
information either. Harris Hawthorn Wilder recorded in his accession 
books that both skulls were of the ``Malkelkos'' Indians of California.
    Multiple lines of evidence, guided by tribal consultations, 
including geographic and linguistic sources, maps and oral tradition, 
verified that the Malkelkos (also known as Mokelko, Moquelemnes, 
Moguelemnes, Muquelues, Machalumbry and Magnele in historical and 
ethnographic literature) were Plains Miwok and/or Yokut-speaking people 
with multiple villages concentrated along the Mokelumne River and Dry 
Creek, east of the Suisun Bay, in California.

Determinations Made by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, 
Department of Anthropology

    Officials of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of 
Anthropology have determined that:
     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 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Robert 
Paynter, Repatriation Committee Chair, telephone (413) 545-2221, or Rae 
Gould, Repatriation Coordinator,

[[Page 5842]]

telephone (413) 545-2702, University of Massachusetts, Department of 
Anthropology, 201 Machmer Hall, 240 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003, 
before March 7, 2012. Repatriation of the human remains to the Ione 
Band of Miwok Indians of California; Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi 
Indians, California; and Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa 
Rancheria, California, may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Anthropology 
is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: January 31, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-2533 Filed 2-3-12; 8:45 am]
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