[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 159 (Thursday, August 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50882-50884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17769]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034372; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand 
Rapids, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Grand Rapids Public Museum 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 no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 
Grand Rapids Public Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in 
this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 Grand Rapids Public Museum at the address in this 
notice by September 19, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alex Forist, Chief Curator, Grand 
Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, 
telephone (616) 929-1809, 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 Grand Rapids 
Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Norton Mounds (20KT01) in Kent 
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) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). The determinations in this notice are

[[Page 50883]]

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 was made by the Grand 
Rapids Public Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, 
Michigan; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi 
Community, Wisconsin; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, 
Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-
e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi 
Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as Huron 
Potawatomi, Inc.); Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 
Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation 
(previously listed as Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); Red 
Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan and the following non-federally recognized 
Indian groups: the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa & Chippewa and the Grand 
River Bands of Ottawa Indians (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted 
Indian Tribes and Groups'').

History and Description of the Remains

    During 1962-1964, human remains representing, at minimum, eight 
individuals were removed from Norton Mounds (20KT01) in Kent County, 
MI. This site was excavated by staff from the University of Michigan in 
cooperation with the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM). The human 
remains consist of eight fragments of human bone that include: two rib 
end fragments, three fragments of shaft (these were not accompanied 
with any context), one fragment of a distal end of the sacrum, and one 
inferior border fragment. One human manubrium fragment was found in a 
mix of mammal bones and fill. No known individuals were identified. The 
35 lots of associated funerary objects include one lot of ceramic 
sherds with seed, one lot of lithic debitage, one lot of turtle shell 
and bone, one lot of wood fragments, one lot of ash sample, one lot of 
faunal bone, one lot of fish bones, one lot of mammal bones, one lot of 
sturgeon bone, one lot of woodchuck bones, one lot of deer bones, one 
lot of turkey bone, one lot of catfish bones, one lot of silt sample, 
one lot of soil sample, one lot of mussel shells, one lot of snail 
shell, one lot of walleye bone, one lot of skunk bones, one lot of 
charcoal, one lot of pebbles, one lot of rocks, one lot of chipmunk 
mandibles, one lot of weasel bones, one lot of raccoon bones, one lot 
of blade, one lot of shell, one lot of flake, one lot of bird bones, 
one lot of copper beads, one lot of textile, one lot of shell, one lot 
of celt, one lot of bark fragments in ash and soil, and one lot of 
lithic flake.
    Norton Mounds is a Middle Woodland burial location that, based on 
radiocarbon dates, diagnostic ceramics, and lithics, dates between 100 
B.C. and A.D. 200. The collection from this site is extensively 
documented in a report by Griffin, Flanders and Titterington (1970).

Determinations Made by the Grand Rapids Public Museum

    Officials of the Grand Rapids Public Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on the Middle Woodland culture 
at Norton Mounds.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of eight individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 35 lots of 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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian Tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Bay Mills Indian Community, 
Michigan; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi 
Community, Wisconsin; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, 
Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-
e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi 
Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as Huron 
Potawatomi, Inc.); Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 
Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation 
(previously listed as Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); Red 
Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan (hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 Alex 
Forist, Chief Curator, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl Street NW, 
Grand Rapids, MI 49504, telephone (616) 929-1809, email 
[email protected], by September 19, 2022. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to The Tribes may 
proceed. If joined to a request from one or more of The Tribes, the 
following two non-federally recognized Indian groups may receive 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects: the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa & Chippewa and the Grand River 
Bands of Ottawa Indians.
    The Grand Rapids Public Museum is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Indian Tribes and Groups that this notice has been published.


[[Page 50884]]


    Dated: August 10, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-17769 Filed 8-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P