[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 140 (Thursday, July 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43719-43720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18354]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Colorado Museum, 
Boulder, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Colorado Museum has completed an inventory 
of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, 
and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any 
Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the 
human remains may contact the University of Colorado Museum. 
Disposition of the human remains to the Indian tribes stated below may 
occur if no additional requestors come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the 
University of Colorado Museum at the address below by August 22, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Stephen Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of 
Colorado Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, NAGPRA Consultant, Bernstein 
& Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone (303) 
894-0648.

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 in the 
possession of the University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, CO. The human 
remains were removed from near Laguna, Cibola County, NM.
    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 the sole 
responsibility of the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has 
control of the Native American human remains. 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 
University of Colorado Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Hopi Tribe 
of Arizona; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero

[[Page 43720]]

Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto 
Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache 
Reservation, Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico. Information was provided to the Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico; Ohkay 
Owingeh, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Tesuque, New Mexico; and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.
    The Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of 
the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New 
Mexico; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; 
Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; and White Mountain Apache Tribe of the 
Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona (hereinafter the ``Aboriginal Land 
Tribes''), do not object to the disposition of the human remains 
described in this notice to the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo 
of Laguna, New Mexico.

History and description of the remains

    On an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from Maxson site number 121, a rock fall near 
Laguna, Cibola County, NM, by Asa Maxson, an avocational archeologist. 
In 1982, Mr. Maxson donated his large archeological collection to the 
museum. On February 6, 2008, during an inventory, the human remains 
were found in the museum. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the University of Colorado Museum

    Officials of the University of Colorado Museum have determined 
that:
     Based on the archeological context and the collecting 
history of Mr. Maxson, the human remains are Native American.
     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 any present-day Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; and Pueblo of Laguna, New 
Mexico.
     Multiple lines of evidence, including treaties, Acts of 
Congress, and Executive Orders, indicate that the land from which the 
Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of 
the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the 
San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; and 
White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.
     Other credible lines of evidence indicate that the land 
from which the Native American human remains were removed is the 
aboriginal land of the Chiricahua Apache. The Chiricahua Apache are 
Federally-recognized as the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and 
Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains is to the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo of 
Laguna, New Mexico.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains or any other Indian tribe 
that believes it satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should 
contact Steve Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado 
Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, NAGPRA Consultant, Bernstein & 
Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone (303) 894-
0648, before August 22, 2011. Disposition of the human remains to the 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, may 
proceed after that date if no additional requestors come forward.
    The University of Colorado Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Aboriginal Land Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 14, 2011.
Sangita Chari,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-18354 Filed 7-20-11; 8:45 am]
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