[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 4, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19979-19980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06916]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0035574; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 19980]]

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Indian Affairs (BIA) has completed an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
Coconino and Apache Counties, AZ.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after May 4, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Tamara Billie, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Indian Affairs, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Mailbox 44, Albuquerque, 
NM 87104, telephone (505) 879-9711, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
BIA. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice. Additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in the inventory or related records held by the BIA.

Description

    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from either Coconino County, AZ. At an unknown date, human remains were 
removed from a burial at Site A5162, near Oraibi Wash. In 1962, the El 
Paso Natural Gas Survey transferred the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Museum of Northern Arizona. Burial 1 contained 
the human remains of an adult. The two associated funerary objects are 
one metal saddle stirrup and one necklace comprised of shell and 
turquoise beads and pendants. Based on the associated funerary objects, 
the human remains are historic (post-1900) Navajo.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from Coconino County, AZ. In 1958, during an authorized project, the 
Museum of Northern Arizona collected these remains from a burial 
eroding out of a slope at Site NA7121. This site is located along the 
Little Colorado River, 6.5 miles upstream from the Cameron bridge. 
Burial 1 contained the human remains of a juvenile <6 years old who had 
been buried in a wooden coffin. The seven associated funerary objects 
are one enameled pan, one rusted cup, one metal toy cup, one metal 
saucer, one piece of burned wood, one piece of black cloth, and one 
piece of animal fur. Based on the burial location and the associated 
funerary objects, the human remains are historic Navajo.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from Apache County, AZ. Sometime during the 1920s, a private individual 
collected these remains from a burial at Site NA9102. This site located 
within a small cave on the south side of Canyon de Chelly, across from 
Sliding Rock Ruin. In 1960, the human remains and an associated 
funerary object were transferred to the Museum of Northern Arizona. 
Burial 1 contained the human remains of an adult male 40+ years old who 
had been buried flexed, in a cist. The 10 associated funerary objects 
are 10 fragments of a cloth cloak stitched together from different 
fabrics. Based on the associated patchwork cloak, the human remains 
belong to the Navajo Classic period (ca. 1750-1804).
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from Apache County, AZ. In 1968, during an authorized excavation for a 
powerline, the Museum of Northern Arizona collected these remains from 
a burial at Site NA10091. This site is located on the north side of 
Interstate 40 near Houck, on a ridge east of Black Creek. Site NA10091 
is an 1880s Navajo forked-stick hogan, and the burial was located in a 
rock crevice on the south side of the hogan. Burial 1 contained the 
human remains of a juvenile 9-11 years old who had been buried extended 
on the left side, with the head oriented to the north. The 24 
associated funerary objects are one necklace of trade beads, one 
leather item, one copper bracelet, and 21 faunal bones.

Cultural Affiliation

    The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice 
are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, 
peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity 
between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures 
and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The 
following types of information were used to reasonably trace the 
relationship: geographical, historical, and archeological.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 43 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.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico, & Utah.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after May 4, 2023. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, the BIA must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. The BIA is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to 
the Indian Tribe identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, Sec.  
10.10, and Sec.  10.14.

    Dated: March 22, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-06916 Filed 4-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P