[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11680-11681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03655]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12188; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Grand Rapids 
Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Grand Rapids Public Museum, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that the cultural items meet 
the definition of unassociated funerary objects and repatriation to the 
Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come 
forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated

[[Page 11681]]

with the cultural items may contact the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the cultural items should contact the Grand 
Rapids Public Museum at the address below by March 21, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Education & Interpretation, 
Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 
telephone (616) 929-1801.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items in the 
possession of the Grand Rapids Public Museum that meet the definition 
of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Item(s)

    At an unknown date, one unassociated funerary object was removed 
from a mound at an unknown location in Kentucky and acquired by the 
Grand Rapids Public Museum from a source with the initials ``K.S.I.'' 
(likely Kent Scientific Institute, the former name of the Grand Rapids 
Public Museum). The object is a stone human effigy vessel that was 
identified in the museum records as a ``[w]aterbottle of sundried 
(probably Peruvian Indian make) clay for burial with dead S (W?), KY.'' 
Digital images of the object were reviewed by the Chickasaw Nation 
Preservation and Repatriation Department and a professor at Murray 
State University. It was determined that this vessel was identical to a 
human effigy vessel from Wickcliffe Mounds, KY, and likely affiliated 
with the Chickasaw Nation. In the Great Chickasaw Cession of 1818, 
lands were ceded in western Kentucky to the U.S. Government and 
traditional tribal hunting and trading routes covered a large portion 
of Kentucky. Therefore, it is conceivable that this stone human effigy 
vessel is culturally affiliated with the Chickasaw Nation.
    In May and November of 1912, one lot of unassociated funerary 
objects was removed from an unknown location near Tupelo in Lee County, 
MS, by W. C. Wyman. At an unknown date, the lot of unassociated 
funerary objects was sold to Dr. Ruth Herrick by an unknown person. In 
1974, the lot of unassociated funerary objects was bequeathed to the 
Grand Rapids Public Museum by Dr. Ruth Herrick. The lot of unassociated 
funerary objects is identified in the Grand Rapids Public Museum's 
records as ``large beads, glass, shell, and bone, early trade beads.'' 
Digital images of these objects were reviewed by the Chickasaw Nation 
Preservation and Repatriation Department, who determined that these 
objects are likely affiliated with the Chickasaw Nation.
    At an unknown date, 1 lot of unassociated funerary objects was 
removed from an unknown location near Tupelo in Lee County, MS, by an 
unknown individual. At an unknown date, the lot of unassociated 
funerary objects was acquired by Dr. Ruth Herrick. In 1974, the lot of 
associated funerary objects was bequeathed to the Grand Rapids Public 
Museum by Dr. Ruth Herrick. The lot of unassociated funerary objects is 
identified in the Grand Rapids Public Museum's records as ``animal bone 
and shell beads, identified by donor and G. Olson.'' Digital images of 
these objects were reviewed by the Chickasaw Nation Preservation and 
Repatriation Department, who determined that these objects are likely 
affiliated with the Chickasaw Nation. Documented evidence of Chickasaw 
occupation in northern Mississippi supports cultural affiliation of the 
two lots of unassociated funerary objects from Lee County, MS, with the 
Chickasaw Nation.

Determinations Made by the Grand Rapids Public Museum

    Officials of the Grand Rapids Public Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 3 cultural items 
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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Chickasaw Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Education & Interpretation, 
Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 
telephone (616) 929-1801 March 21, 2013. Repatriation of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Chickasaw Nation may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Grand Rapids Public Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Chickasaw Nation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 25, 2013.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-03655 Filed 2-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P