[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11678-11679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03632]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12187;2200-1100-665]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand
Rapids, MI
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Grand Rapids Public Museum has completed an inventory of
human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the
appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a cultural
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects
and a present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe
that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains
and associated funerary objects may contact the Grand Rapids Public
Museum. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects to the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional
claimants come forward.
DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a
cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary
objects should contact the Grand Rapids Public Museum at the address
below by March 21, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Education & Interpretation,
Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand Rapids, MI 49501,
telephone (616) 929-1801.
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 and
associated funerary objects in the possession of the Grand Rapids
Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI. The human remains and associated
funerary objects were removed from an unknown location in northern
Tennessee.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). 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 and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Consultation
A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary
objects was made by the Grand Rapids Public Museum professional staff
in consultation with representatives of the Chickasaw Nation, the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma. By letter to the Grand Rapids Public
Museum in 2010, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma deferred to any other
tribe who may claim cultural affiliation.
History and Description of the Remains
At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one
individual were removed from an unknown location in northern Tennessee.
At an unknown date, the human remains and associated funerary objects
were acquired by Dr. Ruth Herrick from an unknown individual. In 1974,
the human remains and associated funerary objects were donated to the
Grand Rapids Public Museum by bequest. No known individuals were
identified. The 12 associated funerary objects are: 1 bark bundle, 1
lot of glass fragments, 1 polished stone, 1 sandstone artifact, 1 stone
with red ocher adhering, 1 musket fragment, 1 lot of gun flints, 1 lot
of musket balls, 1 metallic mineral, 1 lot of silver pins, 1 lot of
textile fragments, and 1 lot of copper pendants, beads, glass, and
buttons.
The determination to affiliate these human remains and associated
funerary objects with the Chickasaw group is based on the following
categories of evidence: geographical, ethnohistorical, archaeological,
anthropological, oral traditions, historical, and collections
documentation at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Museum documentation
indicates that the burial is Chickasaw and the associated funerary
objects date the burial to sometime between the 17th and 19th centuries
of the historic period. The Chickasaw tribe, today represented by the
Chickasaw Nation, is known to have had an historic period presence in
the area where the human remains and associated funerary objects were
removed.
[[Page 11679]]
Determinations Made by the Grand Rapids Public Museum
Officials of the Grand Rapids Public Museum have determined that:
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 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 12 objects described
above 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), there is a relationship of
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the
Chickasaw Nation.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary
objects should contact Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Education &
Interpretation, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand
Rapids, MI 49501, telephone (616) 929-1801, before March 21, 2013.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to
the Chickasaw Nation may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is responsible for notifying the
Chickasaw Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has
been published.
Dated: January 25, 2013.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-03632 Filed 2-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P