[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 36954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13598]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-21140; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Lakeshore Museum 
Center, Muskegon, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Lakeshore Museum Center, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural item listed in this notice meets the 
definition of an unassociated funerary object. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to claim this cultural item should 
submit a written request to the Lakeshore Museum Center. If no 
additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural 
item 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 
claim this cultural item should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the Lakeshore Museum Center at 
the address in this notice by July 8, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Sharon McCullar, Collections Curator, Lakeshore Museum 
Center, 430 West Clay, Muskegon, MI 49440, telephone (231) 722-0278, 
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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate a cultural item under the 
control of the Lakeshore Museum Center that meets the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B).
    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 cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Item

    Sometime prior to 1985, a mano and metate set was removed from the 
vicinity of the Mission San Xavier, south of Tucson, AZ. The item was 
donated to the Muskegon County Museum, now known as the Lakeshore 
Museum Center. A statement provided by the donor asserting that the 
mano and metate set was collected from the vicinity of the Mission San 
Xavier, in a burial area, was affirmed in consultation with the Tohono 
O'Odham Nation of Arizona. The Tohono O'Odham Nation has a cultural 
affiliation with the mano and metate set based upon geographical, 
historical, and contextual information, and has requested the return of 
this unassociated funerary object.

Determinations Made by the Lakeshore Museum Center

    Officials of the Lakeshore Museum Center have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the one cultural item 
described above is 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 and is believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the mano 
and metate set and Tohono O'Odham Nation of Arizona.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
this cultural item should submit a written request with information in 
support of the claim to Sharon McCullar, Collections Curator, Lakeshore 
Museum Center, 430 West Clay, Muskegon MI 49440, telephone (231) 722-
0278, email [email protected], by July 8, 2016. After that 
date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control 
of the corn grinding stone set to Tohono O'Odham Nation may proceed.
    The Lakeshore Museum Center is responsible for notifying the Tohono 
O'Odham Nation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 23, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-13598 Filed 6-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P