[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18393-18394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06666]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0033641; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Michigan State Historic 
Preservation Office, Lansing, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (Michigan 
SHPO) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects, 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 associated funerary 
objects and a 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 and 
associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
Michigan SHPO. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Michigan SHPO at the address in this 
notice by April 29, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hambacher, Staff Archeologist, 
State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Economic Development 
Corporation Building, 300 N Washington Square, Lansing, MI 48913, 
telephone (517) 243-9513, 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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Michigan State 
Historic Preservation Office, Lansing, MI. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from the White Rapids site 
(20ME3), Menominee County, MI.
    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 and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by the Michigan SHPO professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Chippewa Cree Indians of the 
Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana (previously listed as Chippewa-Cree 
Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana); Hannahville Indian 
Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux 
Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Little Shell 
Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of 
Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin; 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Mille Lacs Band); Nottawaseppi 
Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as Huron 
Potawatomi, Inc.); and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan 
and Indiana (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').
    The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians 
of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, 
Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Lac Courte 
Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du 
Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau 
Reservation of Wisconsin; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Bois 
Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech 
Lake Band; White Earth Band); Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation 
(previously listed as Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); Red 
Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake 
Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, 
Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; and the Turtle 
Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota (hereafter referred 
to as ``The Invited Tribes'') were invited to consult, but did not 
participate.

History and Description of the Human Remains

    In 1956, human remains representing, at minimum, nine individuals 
were removed from the White Rapids site (20ME3), in Menominee County, 
MI, during an excavation conducted by an archeologist from the 
University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology. The site 
consists of a pair of mounds located near the Menominee River in the 
Menominee State Forest. Human remains and associated funerary objects 
were removed from Mound 2, which contained three separate burial 
episodes designated as Features 1, 2, and 3. Feature 1 is described as 
an extended adult female burial. Feature 2 is described as containing 
charred human remains from several long bones representing multiple 
individuals. Feature 3 is described as fragmentary human remains from a 
disturbed burial. The human remains removed from the site are one young 
adult 19-30 years old, female; one adult, female; one child 9-10 years 
old; one older adult 40+ years old, indeterminate sex; one cremated 
adult, indeterminate sex; one older adult 40+ years old, possible male; 
one adult, possible female; one cremated adult, possible male; and one 
cremated adult 35-49 years old, female. The burials date to the Late 
Woodland Period (500-1400 A.D.) based on burial treatment. No known 
individuals were identified. The six associated funerary objects are 
one lot of charred wood; one lot of charcoal, soil, and unworked 
pebbles; one lot of ashes; one lot of charcoal; one lot of fire-cracked 
rock; and one lot of grit-tempered and decorated ceramic sherd.
    The human remains have been determined to be Native American based 
on cranial morphology, accession documentation, and archeological 
context. A relationship of shared group identity can be reasonably 
traced between the Native American human remains from this site and the 
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, based on the site's location 
within the lands traditionally occupied by the Menominee. Moreover, 
according to oral tradition and historical accounts, the

[[Page 18394]]

Menominee were most likely the predominant tribe in the vicinity of the 
site during the date range for this burial.

Determinations Made by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office

    Officials of the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of nine individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the six objects 
described in this notice are 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.
     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 associated funerary objects and the 
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.

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 and associated 
funerary object should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Michael Hambacher, Staff Archeologist, State 
Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Economic Development Corporation 
Building, 300 N Washington Square, Lansing, MI 48913, telephone (517) 
243-9513, email [email protected], by April 29, 2022. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin may proceed.
    The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted Tribes and The Invited Tribes that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: March 23, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-06666 Filed 3-29-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P