[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 238 (Friday, December 11, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77009-77010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31303]



[[Page 77009]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19811; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Field Museum of Natural History 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 
Field Museum of Natural History. If no additional requestors come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization 
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 Field Museum of Natural History at the address in 
this notice by January 11, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Helen Robbins, Repatriation Director, Field Museum of 
Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, telephone 
(312) 665-7317, 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 Field Museum of 
Natural History, Chicago, IL. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from a location on Bonito Creek and a cave on the 
East Fork of the White River (8 miles above Fort Apache) on the Fort 
Apache Reservation, AZ.
    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 was made by the Field 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Cocopah Tribe of Arizona; Confederated 
Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah; Fort McDowell 
Yavapai Nation, Arizona; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, 
California & Nevada; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Gila River 
Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Hualapai Indian Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Kaibab Band of Paiute 
Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kewa Pueblo 
(formerly Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico); Las Vegas Tribe of 
Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada; Mescalero Apache 
Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico Moapa Band of Paiute 
Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada; Navajo Nation, 
Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of 
Utah (Washakie); Ohkay Owingeh (formerly Pueblo of San Juan, New 
Mexico); Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona; 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Ramah Navajo Chapter; 
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; 
Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Apache 
Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott 
Tribe of the Yavapai Reservation, Arizona; Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of 
Texas; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico. Key 
consultation with the tribes listed took place between January and July 
of 2015. This consultation included sending a letter inviting THPOs, 
NAGPRA Representatives and other appropriate tribal representatives to 
consult as well follow-up telephone conversations.

History and Description of the Remains

    In October 1903, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from the area along Bonito Creek on the Fort 
Apache Reservation in Arizona, and were accessioned by The Field 
Museum. These human remains were removed by Charles Owen, Assistant 
Curator of Archaeology at The Field Museum, at some point during his 
two collecting trips to the reservation in 1901 and 1903. No further 
provenience or dating information is available. The human remains 
belong to a child of indeterminate sex between the ages of six and ten. 
No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    In October 1903, human remains representing at minimum eight 
individuals were removed from a cave site on the East Fork of the White 
River, 8 miles north of Fort Apache on the Fort Apache Reservation in 
Arizona, and were accessioned by The Field Museum. These human remains 
were removed by Charles Owen, Assistant Curator of Archaeology at The 
Field Museum, at some point during his two collecting trips to the 
reservation in 1901 and 1903. While there is historical information 
about known cave systems and archaeological work undertaken on the 
White River, including Owen's for The Field Museum, it is not possible 
to ascertain from which cave in particular the human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed. The cranial human remains 
present (which have been used to determine the number of individuals) 
belong to two individuals over the age of 50, one male and one 
indeterminable, two possible females aged 35 or older, a possible 
female between the ages of 20 and 40, and three children between the 
age of four and six, eight and ten, and eight and twelve, respectively. 
The post-cranial human remains present are commingled and do not 
necessarily represent additional individuals. The

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human remains represent both juvenile/young adult and adult persons. No 
known individuals were identified. The four associated funerary items 
are one piece of unidentified tubular organic material, one piece of 
twisted fibers, one piece of plant fiber wrapped with bird feather 
stem, and circular shell or stone beads on twine.

Determinations Made by The Field Museum of Natural History

    Officials of The Field Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on Field Museum records and a 
physical inventory of the collection.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of a minimum of nine 
individuals of Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the four 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (15), the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the tribal land of the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the 
Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the White 
Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.

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 Helen 
Robbins, Repatriation Director, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 
S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, telephone (312) 665-7317, email 
[email protected], by January 11, 2016. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona may proceed.
    The Field Museum is responsible for notifying the Ak Chin Indian 
Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Cocopah Tribe of Arizona; Cocopah Tribe of Arizona; Confederated Tribes 
of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah; Fort McDowell Yavapai 
Nation, Arizona; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, California & 
Nevada; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Gila River Indian Community 
of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Havasupai Tribe of the 
Havasupai Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Hualapai Indian 
Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona; Isleta del Sur 
Pueblo of Texas; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Kaibab Band of 
Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kewa Pueblo 
(formerly Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico); Las Vegas Tribe of 
Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada; Mescalero Apache 
Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; Moapa Band of Paiute 
Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada; Navajo Nation, 
Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of 
Utah (Washakie); Ohkay Owingeh (formerly Pueblo of San Juan, New 
Mexico); Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah; Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona; 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Ramah Navajo Chapter; 
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; 
Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Apache 
Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott 
Tribe of the Yavapai Reservation, Arizona; and the Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 17, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-31303 Filed 12-10-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P