[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57471-57472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18131]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0036431; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Detroit Institute of Arts, 
Detroit, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Detroit Institute of Arts has completed 
an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and any Indian Tribe. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from an unknown 
geographic location.

DATES: Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice may occur on or after September 22, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Denene De Quintal, Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward 
Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, telephone (313) 578-1067, 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 
Detroit Institute of Arts. 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 Detroit 
Institute of Arts.

Description

    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 
individuals were removed from an unknown geographic location. The 
individuals (X1989.2344; X1989.3750; X1989.3758) were acquired by the 
Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). On May 19, 2021, museum staff 
encountered human remains during a comprehensive review of the 
``Indigenous Americas'' collection. The six associated funerary objects 
are one lot consisting of unidentified animal teeth; one tooth or claw 
fragment; one lot of claws; one piece of wood; one shell; and one lot 
consisting of non-human bone fragments.

[[Page 57472]]

    Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.16, the Secretary of the Interior may make a 
recommendation for a transfer of control of the culturally 
unidentifiable human remains and associated funerary objects. In June 
of 2023, the Detroit Institute of Arts requested that the Review 
Committee consider a proposal to transfer control of the human remains 
in this notice to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, 
Michigan. The Review Committee, acting pursuant to its responsibility 
under 25 U.S.C. 3006(c)(5), considered the request at its June 2023 
meeting and recommended to the Secretary that the proposed transfer of 
control proceed. A July 2023 letter on behalf of the Secretary of 
Interior from the Designated Federal Official transmitted the 
Secretary's independent review and concurrence with the Review 
Committee that:
     The Detroit Institute of Arts consulted with every 
appropriate Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization,
     None of the consulted and notified Indian Tribes and 
Native Hawaiian organizations objected to the proposed transfer of 
control, and
     The Detroit Institute of Arts may proceed with the agreed 
upon transfer of control of the culturally unidentifiable human remains 
and associated funerary objects to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan.
    Transfer of control is contingent on the publication of a Notice of 
Inventory Completion in the Federal Register. This notice fulfills that 
requirement.

Determinations

    Officials of the Detroit Institute of Arts have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on biological evidence.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 11 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), 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.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.10(g)(2) and 10.16, the disposition 
of the human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the 
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan.

Request for Disposition

    Written requests for disposition of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for disposition 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or non-Federally recognized 
Indian groups 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, or who shows that the requestor is an aboriginal land 
Indian Tribe.
    Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 
22, 2023. If competing requests for disposition are received, the 
Detroit Institute of Arts must determine the most appropriate requestor 
prior to disposition. Requests for joint disposition of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single request 
and not competing requests. The Detroit Institute of Arts 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 
and 10.11.

    Dated: August 16, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-18131 Filed 8-22-23; 8:45 am]
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