[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86375-86376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27375]



[[Page 86375]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037061; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Alaska Museum of 
the North, Fairbanks, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Alaska Museum of the North 
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 the Aleutians West Census 
Area, AK.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after January 12, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Josh Reuther, University of Alaska Museum of the North, 1962 
Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, telephone (907) 474-6943, 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 
University of Alaska Museum of the North. 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 University of Alaska Museum of the North.

Description

    In 1937, nine associated funerary objects were collected by Don 
McKay from Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. The exact location 
is unknown; the provenience is listed as Dutch Harbor Spit. In 1981, 
these funerary objects were deposited at the University of Alaska 
Museum of the North. Museum records show that in 1937, the human 
remains associated with these funerary objects were given to Ales 
Hrdlicka at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC The nine 
associated funerary objects are four worked bone objects, one pounding 
stone, three stone lamps, and one slate blade.
    In 1977, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Amaknak Bridge Site on Amaknak Island in the 
Aleutian Islands. The human remains of this individual were removed 
during archeological work conducted at the site by Glenn Bacon and were 
deposited at the University of Alaska Museum of the North shortly 
thereafter. The human remains consist of a single left half of a 
mandible belonging to an adult between 30 and 50 years old and of 
unknown sex. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Sometime prior to 1982, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site on Unalaska Island in the 
Aleutian Islands. The human remains of this individual were removed by 
an unknown person and were deposited at the University of Alaska Museum 
of the North prior to 1982. The human remains consist of a single 
cranium frontal bone belonging to a juvenile 4 to 6 years old and of 
unknown sex. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Sometime prior to 1993, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Eider Point on Unalaska Island in the 
Aleutian Islands. The human remains of this individual were removed by 
an unknown person and were deposited at the University of Alaska Museum 
of the North prior to 1993. The human remains consist of a single left 
femur belonging to an adult female 21 to 35 years old. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Sometime prior to 1993, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Reese Bay on Unalaska Island in the 
Eastern Aleutian Islands. The human remains of this individual were 
removed by an unknown person and were deposited at the University of 
Alaska Museum of the North prior to 1993. The human remains consist of 
a single left radius belonging to an adult at least 30 years old and of 
unknown sex. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Sometime prior to 1993, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location on Unalaska Island in 
the Eastern Aleutian Islands. The human remains of these individuals 
were removed by an unknown person and were deposited at the University 
of Alaska Museum of the North prior to 1993. The human remains consist 
of a single cranium (in two pieces) belonging to a juvenile 4-6 years 
old and of unknown sex, and a single cranial temporal bone belonging to 
an adult at least 20 years old and of unknown sex. No associated 
funerary objects are present.

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: archeological and oral traditional.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, the University of Alaska Museum of the North has 
determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of six individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The nine objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed with our 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 Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska.

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 January 12, 2024. 
If competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of 
Alaska Museum of the North must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint

[[Page 86376]]

repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects are 
considered a single request and not competing requests. The University 
of Alaska Museum of the North 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, 10.10, 
and 10.14.

    Dated: December 6, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-27375 Filed 12-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P