[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30470-30471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11947]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032041; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona Museum of Natural 
History, Mesa, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Arizona Museum of Natural History 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 Arizona 
Museum of Natural History. 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 
Arizona Museum of Natural History at the address in this notice by July 
8, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Deer, Arizona Museum of 
Natural History, 53 N Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 85201, telephone (480) 644-
4381, 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 Arizona Museum of Natural History, Mesa, AZ. The 
human remains were most likely removed from Maricopa County, AZ.
    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 Arizona 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 2021, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from an unknown location most likely in Maricopa County, 
AZ. The human remains belong to an individual of undetermined age and 
sex. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    The human remains were discovered when the box in which they were 
housed was moved from the Historic Post Office. As information on the 
box references Scottsdale, AZ, the Arizona Museum of Natural History 
has determined that the human remains most likely were removed from 
Maricopa County. According to archeological understanding, the region 
where these human remains were most likely collected was occupied by 
the Hohokam Material Culture in prehistoric times. As the primary 
collection of the Arizona Museum of Natural History focuses on Hohokam 
Material Culture, the Arizona Museum of Natural History has determined 
that the human remains most likely are Hohokam.
    According to archeological and ethnographic understandings, the 
Hohokam Material Culture people were ancestors to the Four Southern 
Tribes of Arizona (Ak-Chin Indian Community [previously listed as Ak 
Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona]; Gila River

[[Page 30471]]

Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt 
River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona) and the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona. The Four Southern Tribes of Arizona divide their ancestral 
lands such that each Tribe oversees those portions closest to their 
reservation.

Determinations Made by the Arizona Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the Arizona Museum of Natural History 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 Ak-Chin Indian Community [previously 
listed as Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona]; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River-Pima 
Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and 
the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona (hereafter referred to as ``The 
Tribes'').

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 Melanie 
Deer, Arizona Museum of Natural History, 53 N Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 
85201, telephone (480) 644-4381, email [email protected], by July 
8, 2021. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains to The Tribes may 
proceed.
    The Arizona Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 25, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-11947 Filed 6-7-21; 8:45 am]
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