[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91193-91195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30335]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22537; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Seminole Tribe of Florida, 
Clewiston, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Seminole Tribe of Florida has completed an inventory of 
human remains, 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 Seminole 
Tribe of Florida. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the

[[Page 91194]]

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 
Seminole Tribe of Florida at the address in this notice by January 17, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Paul Backhouse, Tribal Historic Preservation Office, 
Seminole Tribe of Florida, 30290 Josie Billie Highway, PMB 1004, 
Clewiston, FL 33440, telephone (863) 983-6549 Ext. 12244, 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 Seminole Tribe of Florida, a federally recognized 
Indian Tribe organized pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 476, through one of its 
governmental departments, the Seminole Police Department (Seminole 
Police Department). The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Tribal Historic 
Preservation Office (Tribal Historic Preservation Office), another 
governmental department of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, is handling 
the NAGRPA process while the human remains continue to be in the 
physical control of the Seminole Police Department. The human remains 
were removed from an indeterminate location in Florida.
    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 the Seminole 
Tribe of Florida, (Tribal Historic Preservation Office) professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of 
Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; 
Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of 
Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservation)); 
and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; 
Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town; Kiowa Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians (previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of 
Alabama); The Chickasaw Nation; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and 
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town were contacted and invited to consult, but did 
not participate.

History and Description of the Remains

    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in the state of 
Florida. In 1993, the human remains were anonymously mailed to a member 
of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. An unsigned handwritten note was 
included with the remains indicating that they had been excavated 
approximately 30 years prior from Florida, and that the sender believed 
the remains were Native American, and possibly Seminole. The tribal 
member contacted the Seminole Police Department, who then took 
possession of the remains. The remains were placed in the Seminole 
Police Department evidence vault as it was unknown if they were of 
modern forensic significance. In 2009, the remains were examined by the 
Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, and in 2013, the remains were 
examined by the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. The remains were 
determined to be archeological. The human remains include one partial 
cranium, a separate partial maxilla and mandible, and three cervical 
vertebrae. Both individuals were adults based on dental wear and 
cranial suture closure. One individual was likely female and the other 
male, based on cranio-facial features associated with sexual 
morphology. The remains were determined to be those of prehistoric 
Native American individuals, based on condition and anatomy associated 
with ancestry. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on the description in the hand written letter that 
accompanied the remains, as well as the decision of ancestry recorded 
in the osteological examination performed by District 17 Medical 
Examiner, the remains are determined to be those of early Seminole 
Native Americans. The present-day tribes associated with the early 
Seminole include the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, Seminole Tribe of 
Florida (previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big 
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservation)), and The Seminole 
Nation of Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by the Seminole Tribe of Florida

    Officials of the Seminole Tribe of Florida have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals 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 Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Seminole 
Tribe of Florida (previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida 
(Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservation)); and The 
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

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 Paul 
Backhouse, Seminole Tribe of Florida, Tribal Historic Preservation 
Office, 30290 Josie Billie Hwy, PMB 1004, Clewiston, FL 33440, 
telephone (863) 983-6549 Ext. 12244, email [email protected], 
by January 17, 2017. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the 
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously 
listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 
Hollywood & Tampa Reservation)); and The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma 
may proceed.
    The Seminole Tribe of Florida is responsible for notifying the 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Coushatta 
Tribe of Louisiana; Delaware Nation, Kialegee Tribal Town; Kiowa Indian 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Mississippi Band of 
Choctaw Indians; Poarch Band of Creek Indians (previously listed as the 
Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama) Seminole Tribe of Florida 
(previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big 
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservation); The Chickasaw 
Nation; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; and The Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town that this notice has been 
published.


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    Dated: December 7, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-30335 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P