[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62105-62107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26318]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19372; 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 associated funerary objects 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 62106]]

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 the State of Michigan, but the specific 
counties are unknown.
    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 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 Absentee 
Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; 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; Delaware Nation, 
Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians, Kansas; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of 
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; Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of 
Texas; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; 
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; 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; Miami Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; 
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians 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; Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; Sac 
and Fox Nation, Oklahoma; Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa; 
Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as Seneca Nation of New 
York Seneca Nation of Indians); Seneca-Cayuga Nation (previously listed 
as the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma); Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; 
Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; Tonawanda Band of Seneca (previously listed as the Tonawanda 
Band of Seneca Indians of New York); 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 Invited and Consulted Tribes.''

History and Description of the Remains

    On an unknown date in the late-1950s or early-1960s, human remains 
representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown 
location in the State of Michigan, recorded as the Marion's Sister's 
Find site. The human remains, along with objects, were discovered 
during road construction activities in northern Michigan and removed 
from the site by a University of Michigan archeology class. On 
September 9, 1991, the collections were donated from an estate to the 
Royal British Columbia Museum (RBCM) in Vancouver, British Columbia, 
Canada. The RBCM subsequently contacted the UMMAA and arranged a 
transfer. In November of 1991, the UMMAA accessioned the collections. 
The human remains are from an adult male. It is not known if the 
objects were associated with the human remains, or if they were 
recovered from the same site. However, they have been reported as 
associated funerary objects. The human remains are dated to the Middle 
Woodland Period (300 B.C--A.D. 500) based on the projectile points 
being reported as associated funerary objects. No known individuals 
were identified. The 4 associated funerary objects are 1 triangular-
shaped stone celt and 3 corner-notched projectile points.
    On an unknown date prior to 1935, human remains representing, at 
minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown location in the 
State of Michigan, recorded as the GL-2048 site. The cranium of an 
adult female bearing the note ``Indian of Michigan, Dr. S. Lathrop'' 
was identified in the holdings of the University of Michigan Department 
of Anatomy and transferred to the UMMAA in 1935. There are no records 
indicating how the UM Department of Anatomy acquired the cranium. The 
cranium has evidence of post-mortem modification, with two holes 
drilled on the vault, on the left and right parietals respectively, 
near Bregma. These post-mortem modifications are consistent with those 
found at the Younge (20LP1), Riviere aux Vase (20MB3), and Farmington I 
(20OK2) sites in Michigan. No date or time period for the human remains 
could be established. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in the State of 
Michigan, recorded as the GL-2053 site. During the 1930s, the UMMAA 
accessioned the fragmentary cranium and mandible fragment of a child. 
In September of 2014, UMMAA staff identified additional human remains 
from an adult that were also part of this accession. No further 
information is available. No date or time period for the human remains 
could be established. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in the State of 
Michigan, recorded as the GL-2091 site. The UMMAA collectively 
accessioned the fragmentary human remains of an adult male and a child. 
It is unknown whether these individuals were removed from the same 
location. No further information is available. No date

[[Page 62107]]

or time period for the human remains could be established. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown location in the State of 
Michigan, recorded as the Unknown Mich. H site. While completing the 
re-inventory of an unprovenienced box of site collections, UMMAA staff 
separated out the uncataloged human remains of an adult labeled 
``Mich.'' and ``H.'' No further information is available. No date or 
time period for the human remains could be established. 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, post-mortem modifications, and accession documentation.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of seven individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 4 objects described 
in this notice 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.
     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 of Federal Claims, 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.
     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. 2015-26318 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P