[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2080-2081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-515]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[2253-665]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council,
Bemidji, MN
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council 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 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 Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council. 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
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council at the address below by February 13,
2012.
ADDRESSES: James L. (Jim) Jones, Cultural Resource Director, Minnesota
Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue NW., Suite 5, Bemidji, MN
56601, telephone (218) 755-3223.
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 Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC). The human
remains were removed from Chippewa County, MN.
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 MIAC
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Bad
River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad
River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of
South Dakota; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe,
Minnesota; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe,
Minnesota; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Leech Lake Band of
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Lower Sioux Indian Community
in the State of Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa
Tribe, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Prairie Island
Indian Community in the State of Minnesota; Red Cliff Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa
Indians, Minnesota; Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska; Sisseton-Wahpeton
Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota; Sokaogon Chippewa
Community, Wisconsin; Spirit Lake Tribe, North Dakota; St. Croix
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Upper Sioux Community, Minnesota; and
the White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota
(hereinafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').
History and Description of the Remains
At an unknown date, human remains representing five individuals
were removed from site 21-CP-28, Lac qui Parle Mission, Chippewa
County, MN, by an unknown individual who donated the human remains to
the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS 293). In 1993, the human remains
were transferred to the MIAC (H282). No known
[[Page 2081]]
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
The context of recovery and dental morphology identify these human
remains as pre-contact American Indian affiliation. The remains have no
archeological classification and cannot be associated with any present-
day Indian tribe.
In 2007, human remains representing two individuals were recovered
from site 21-CP-64, an eroding bank on the east shore of the Minnesota
River, just above the Lac qui Parle Mission site. The remains were
recovered by the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office and transferred to
the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist, and then transferred
to the MIAC (H435). No known individuals were identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Femora morphology identifies these human remains as American
Indian. A single tongue-river silica flake recovered from the shoreline
in the immediate vicinity of the grave supports the identification. The
remains have no archeological classification and cannot be associated
with any present-day Indian tribe.
Determinations Made by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council
Officials of the MIAC have determined that:
Based on non-destructive physical analysis and catalogue
records, 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 Tribes.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described
in this notice represent the physical remains of seven individuals of
Native American ancestry.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the
human remains is to The Tribes.
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 James L. (Jim) Jones, Cultural Resource Director, Minnesota
Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue NW., Suite 5, Bemidji, MN
56601, telephone (218) 755-3223, before February 13, 2012. Disposition
of the human remains to The Tribes may proceed after that date if no
additional requestors come forward.
The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council is responsible for notifying
The Tribes that this notice has been published.
Dated: January 9, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-515 Filed 1-12-12; 8:45 am]
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