[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 29300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11093]



[[Page 29300]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-20964; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of California, Davis, 
Davis, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) has completed 
an inventory of human remains housed in the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife 
and Fish Biology, 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 the UC Davis. 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 the 
University of California, Davis at the address in this notice by June 
10, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Megon Noble, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of 
California, Davis, 433 Mrak Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, 
telephone (530) 752-8501, 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 under 
the control of the University of California, Davis, Davis, CA. The 
human remains were removed from Barrow, AK.
    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 UC, Davis 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Native 
Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1951, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Point Barrow in Barrow, AK. The human remains were 
collected by Henry Everett Childs, Jr., a graduate student at 
University of California, Berkeley at the time. In 2014, the human 
remains were identified in the collections of the UC Davis, Museum of 
Wildlife and Fish Biology and reported to the NAGPRA Project. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    The human remains were collected during a biological field 
expedition. The human remains have been determined to be Native 
American based on antiquity, dental wear patterns, and historical and 
archeological information. Geographic, historical, archeological, and 
biological information suggest continuity between human remains from 
Point Barrow and contemporary Inupiat people that are present day 
members of the Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government.
    The human remains described above lack precise context information. 
However, there are several known archeological sites in the Point 
Barrow area including Nuvuk (Nuwuk), Birnirk, Kugok, Utqia[gdot]vik, 
and Walakpa that have been extensively excavated, and provide related 
information to assist with interpretation. Collectively the sites in 
the Point Barrow area represent Birnirk, Thule, Historical and Modern 
Inupiat archeological phases. Radiocarbon dates indicate an essentially 
continuous occupation of the Nuvuk site. Based on the state of 
preservation, the human remains described above date to the last 1000 
years, but likely date to the late Prehistoric-early Historic period 
(1730s 1850s B.C.).
    The historic village of Nuvuk was occupied at the time of 
Euroamerican contact (1826) and later abandoned. Some elders now living 
in Barrow were born and raised at Nuvuk. Recent ancient mitochondrial 
DNA analysis suggests some genetic continuity between Paleoeskimo 
(e.g., Arctic Small Tool tradition) and contemporary Inupiat people of 
the region. However, the Inupiat in the North Slope of Alaska have 
demonstrated cultural and genetic ties to their ancestral Thule and 
Birnirk cultures. Based on this information, the human remains 
described in this Notice are determined to be culturally affiliated 
with Inupiat of the Point Barrow area, represented today by the Native 
Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government.

Determinations Made by the University of California, Davis

    Officials at UC Davis have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual 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 Native Village of Barrow Inupiat 
Traditional Government.

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 Megon 
Noble, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of California, Davis, 433 
Mrak Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, telephone (530)752-
8501, email [email protected], by June 10, 2016. After that date, if 
no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional 
Government may proceed.
    UC Davis is responsible for notifying the Native Village of Barrow 
Inupiat Traditional Government that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 27, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-11093 Filed 5-10-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P