[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 800-801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00056]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19934; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of Anthropology at 
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Anthropology at Indiana 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 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 should submit a written 
request to the Indiana University NAGPRA Office. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 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 should submit a written 
request with information in support of the request to the Indiana 
University NAGPRA Office at the address in this notice by February 8, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Jayne-Leigh Thomas, NAGPRA Director, Indiana University, 
NAGPRA Office, Student Building 318, 701 E. Kirkwood Avenue, 
Bloomington, IN 47405, telephone (812) 856-5315, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and

[[Page 801]]

Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an 
inventory of human remains under the control of the Department of 
Anthropology at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. The human remains 
were removed from an unknown location along the Northwest Coast of the 
United States.
    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. The National Park Service 
is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Indiana 
University professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe 
(previously listed as the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot 
Reservation, Washington), Nooksack Indian Tribe, Samish Indian Nation 
(previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington), Sauk-
Suiattle Indian Tribe, Snoqualmie Indian Tribe (previously listed as 
the Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington), Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of 
Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish Tribe of 
Washington), Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation, 
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (previously listed as the Swinomish 
Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington), the Tulalip Tribes 
of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip 
Reservation, Washington), and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, hereafter 
referred to as ``The Tribes''.

History and Description of the Remains

    In July of 1941, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed from a ``shell mound'' at an unknown location 
in the ``Northwest Coast''. This collection was transferred to Indiana 
University from the University of Chicago during the 1950s. The boxes 
containing the collection recorded the collection as having previously 
been located at the University of Washington. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Notes accompanying this collection indicate that two of the 
individuals from this collection were excavated from a shell mound in 
July of 1941 by Tom Harmon. The geographic location is listed as 
``Northwest Coast.'' The third individual from this collection is 
listed as having been excavated from the same shell mound in July of 
1941 by Harry Smith. Extensive efforts have been made to collect 
information about Tom Harmon, who was a Road Commissioner in 1941; 
however, no further information has been found.
    During the 1940s, Harry Everett Smith gifted cultural objects to 
the Thomas Burke Museum Memorial of Natural History and Culture (Burke 
Museum) at the University of Washington, including objects Smith had 
collected from Skagit County. Harry Smith grew up in the Anacortes area 
of Skagit County, Washington State, and is known to have worked with 
the tribal communities in Skagit and Whatcom Counties in the late 1930s 
and early 1940s, recording their language and songs. Between 1942 and 
1944 he studied anthropology at the University of Washington, focusing 
on Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Indiana University 
and the Burke Museum have concluded that by a preponderance of the 
evidence, `Harry Smith' who excavated the `shell mound' in 1941, and 
the Harry Smith who collected artifacts from Skagit County and worked 
with the University of Washington, are the same person. This conclusion 
is supported by the Burke Museum's accession records and other UW 
archival information.
    ``Shell Mounds'' or shell middens are archaeological sites common 
along the shorelines of the Northwest Coast including the northern 
Puget Sound region, where Skagit and Whatcom Counties are located. The 
shell middens of this area are between 200 and 4000 years old; both 
burials and isolated human remains are commonly found in these sites.

Determinations Made by Indiana University

    Officials of Indiana University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on osteological evidence and 
collection history.
     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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains 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 removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Tribes.
     On January 22, 1855, the Point Elliot Treaty was signed by 
representatives from The Tribes. The Point Elliot Treaty established an 
agreement between the United States Government and The Tribes for lands 
in western Washington. The lands around Anacortes, Washington from 
which the Native American human remains were removed were a part of the 
aboriginal lands ceded by the Point Elliot Treaty.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains may be to The 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 should submit a written request with information 
in support of the request to Dr. Jayne-Leigh Thomas, NAGPRA Director, 
Indiana University, NAGPRA Office, Student Building 318, 701 E. 
Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, telephone (812) 856-5315, email 
[email protected], by February 8, 2016. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Muckleshoot 
Indian Tribe (previously listed as the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the 
Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington), Nooksack Indian Tribe, Samish 
Indian Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, 
Washington), Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, Snoqualmie Indian Tribe 
(previously listed as the Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington), Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Washington), Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison 
Reservation, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (previously listed as 
the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington), the 
Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes 
of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington), and the Upper Skagit Indian 
Tribe may proceed.
    Indiana University is responsible for notifying The Tribes that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 8, 2015.
Amberleigh Malone,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-00056 Filed 1-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P