[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62100-62102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26284]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19365;PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann 
Arbor, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Michigan has completed an inventory of human 
remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations. 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 and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request to the University of Michigan. 
If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to the University of Michigan at the address in this notice 
by November 16, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of 
Michigan Office of Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 S. Thompson 
Street, Ann

[[Page 62101]]

Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone (734) 647-9085, email 
[email protected].

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 under the control of the University of 
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from sites in Genesee and Tuscola Counties, MI.
    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 and associated funerary 
objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by the University of Michigan Museum of 
Anthropological Archaeology (UMMAA) professional staff, in consultation 
with representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; 
Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Grand 
Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville 
Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; 
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; 
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay 
Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of 
Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the 
Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); 
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw 
Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; and the Wyandotte Nation, Oklahoma.
    Additional requests for consultation were sent to the Bad River 
Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River 
Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Fond du 
Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Leech 
Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band 
of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Kansas (previously listed as the 
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); Quechan Tribe of the Fort 
Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa 
Indians, Minnesota; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix 
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians 
of North Dakota; and the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota.
    Hereafter, all tribes listed in this section are referred to as 
``The Consulted and Invited Tribes.''

History and Description of the Remains

    On June 25, 1972, human remains representing, at minimum, seven 
individuals were removed from the Budd site (20GS26) in Genesee County, 
MI. Individuals walking along the Flint River noticed human remains 
eroding out of the riverbank. They collected the human remains, along 
with objects, which the landowner later donated to the UMMAA, on June 
29, 1979. The human remains are from one child, one adult male, two 
adult females, and three adults of indeterminate sex. At least three of 
the individuals were noted as having been interred in a flexed 
position. The human remains are dated to the Middle Late Woodland 
Period (A.D. 900-1200), based on diagnostic artifacts collected from 
the site. No known individuals were identified. The 2 associated 
funerary objects present are 1 ceramic elbow pipe with a collared rim 
and 1 awl made from a turkey bone.
    In June 1959, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from the Ray Bradshaw Farm site (20TU1) in 
Tuscola County, MI. Workers excavating gravel inadvertently dug into a 
burial mound and unearthed commingled human remains and objects. The 
landowner collected the human remains and objects, and donated them to 
the UMMAA in July 1959. The human remains are from two adults. The 
human remains are dated to the Pre-Contact Period, based on diagnostic 
artifacts collected from the site. No known individuals were 
identified. The 10 associated funerary objects present are 6 antler 
tines and 4 pieces of chipped stone.
    In 1988, human remains representing, at minimum, six individuals 
were removed from the Hancock I site (20TU147) in Tuscola County, MI. 
The landowners were excavating sediment from what they thought was a 
natural knoll on their property. While depositing the sediment 
elsewhere on their property, the landowners noticed human remains and 
red ochre mixed in with the soil. They contacted archeologists at 
Saginaw Valley State University and Alma College for assistance. 
Although the human remains had been relocated away from the knoll where 
they were buried, the archeologists, their students, and members of the 
Michigan Archaeological Society carried out a survey and salvage 
excavation effort.
    The collections were donated to the UMMAA in 1990. The human 
remains are from one juvenile, one adolescent, three adults of 
indeterminate sex, and one cremated adult of indeterminate sex. The 
cremated human remains were found commingled with the non-cremated 
remains of an adult. Although the human remains were highly 
fragmentary, one individual was noted as possibly cremated in a flexed 
position. The human remains are dated to the Late Archaic to Early 
Woodland Periods (3500-500 B.C.), based on mortuary treatment. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.

Determinations Made by the University of Michigan

    Officials of the University of Michigan have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on cranial morphology, dental 
traits, mortuary treatment, archeological context, and accession 
documentation.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 15 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), there are 12 objects 
described in this notice 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 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 or the Court

[[Page 62102]]

of Federal Claims, the land from which the Native American human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal 
land of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Invited and Consulted Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Invited and 
Consulted Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Dr. Ben 
Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of Michigan Office of 
Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 S. Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 
48109-1340, telephone (734) 647-9085, email [email protected], by 
November 16, 2015. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to The Invited and Consulted Tribes may proceed.
    The University of Michigan is responsible for notifying The Invited 
and Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 22, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-26284 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P