[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21792-21793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08786]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-15180; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Texas A&M University, College 
Station, TX

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Texas A&M University has completed an inventory of human 
remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of 
any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains 
should submit a written request to Texas A&M University. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian 
organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Texas A&M 
University at the address in this notice by May 19, 2014.

[[Page 21793]]


ADDRESSES: Dr. Suzanne L. Eckert, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M 
University, College Station, TX 77843-4352, telephone (979) 845-5242.

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 under 
the control of Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. The human 
remains were removed from Hill and Leon Counties, TX.
    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 Texas A&M 
University (TAMU) professional staff in 1995. In 2010, representatives 
of the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi 
Indian Tribe; and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, 
Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma, were invited to consult with TAMU for the 
purpose of determining the place and manner of the repatriation. The 
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma contacted TAMU with an interest in having 
these remains repatriated; no representatives from the other tribes 
contacted TAMU in response to this invitation.

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from the Kent Creek site (41HL66) in Hill 
County, TX, by a private individual. At the time of donation to TAMU, 
it was indicated that these human remains (TAMU NAGPRA 40) dated to the 
Palo Duro phase (710 A.D.  120) based on artifacts 
recovered from the site. The human remains were determined to be one 
adult female and one adult of indeterminate sex. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from the Smith site (41LN294) in Leon County, 
TX, as part of a salvage excavation. At the time of their donation, 
these human remains (TAMU NAGPRA 41) were indicated to be prehistoric, 
without further explanation. Analysis of the human remains by physical 
anthropologists indicates that this individual was of Native American 
origins. The human remains were determined to be one adult male. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on geographic location of all the sites in this notice, TAMU 
staff found it reasonable to trace a shared identity between the human 
remains in this notice and the following historic groups: Cantona, 
Ervipiame, Mayeye, Yojuane, Delaware, Kickapoo, Tonkawa, Tunica, 
Biolixi, and Wichita. Archeological and linguistic evidence, historical 
records, and/or traditional beliefs indicate that there is a 
relationship of shared group identity between these historic groups and 
the present-day Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; 
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; 
Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe; and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes 
(Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by Texas A&M University

    Officials of Texas A&M University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three 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 Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians 
of Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe; and the Wichita and Affiliated 
Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Dr. 
Suzanne L. Eckert, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, 
College Station, TX 77843-4352, telephone (979) 845-5242, by May 19, 
2014. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the Comanche Nation, 
Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe; and 
the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma.
    Texas A&M University is responsible for notifying the Comanche 
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian 
Tribe; and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & 
Tawakonie), Oklahoma, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 4, 2014.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-08786 Filed 4-16-14; 8:45 am]
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