[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63885-63886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27394]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Oshkosh Public
Museum, Oshkosh, WI
AGENCY: National Park Service
ACTION: Notice
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Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9,
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated
funerary objects in the possession of the Oshkosh Public Museum,
Oshkosh, WI.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this
notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary
objects was made by Oshkosh Public Museum professional staff in
consultation with representatives of the Menominee Indian Tribe of
Wisconsin.
In 1961, human remains representing three individuals were removed
during excavations at the Riverside Site (20-ME-1), Menominee County,
MI by Oshkosh Public Museum staff Robert Hruska. No known individuals
were identified. The four associated funerary objects include copper
beads, bifaces, and fiber fragments.
The remains of one of the three individuals are cremated. The
Riverside Site is a multi-component cemetery and habitation site.
Intermittent occupation of the site spans a time period circa 1000
B.C.-A.D. 1850. On the basis of the four associated funerary objects,
these cremated remains are dated to the earliest occupation of the
Riverside Site. The stylistic attributes of the copper objects are
characteristic of the Red Ochre Culture, an archeologically defined
culture within the Archaic Period, dated to 1000-400 B.C. Oral history
sources identify the mouth of Green Bay, WI, where the Riverside Site
is located, as the emergence area for the Menominee people.
The remains of two of the three individuals were removed from
Feature A. Funerary objects date this burial feature to the 18th and
19th centuries. These objects, not in the possession of the Oshkosh
Public Museum, consist of glass beads, a kettle brass bracelet, and a
ceramic vessel.
In 1964, human remains representing 1 individual and 31 associated
funerary objects were removed during excavations conducted by the
Wisconsin Archaeological Society from the Potato Rapids Burial Site
(47-Mt-79), Peshtigo, Marinette County, WI. These remains and objects
were donated to the Oshkosh Public Museum by the Wisconsin
Archaeological Society at an unknown date after 1964. No known
individual was identified. The associated funerary objects include an
iron axe, two bone beads, wampum beads, seed beadwork, a metal bowl,
five silver bracelets, four silver brooches, six silver buttons, one
metal can, one comb, one silver crescent, two silver earrings, three
gunflints, one clay pipe, fabric, and fiber remains. The associated
funerary objects are trade items consistent with materials owned by
Menominee people circa A.D. 1830-1850.
The Potato Rapids Burial Site is located within the area occupied
by the Menominee Indians in the 19th century.
Circa 1936, human remains representing one individual were removed
from the Robert Grignon Trading Post Site (47-Wn-137), Winnebago, WI by
Oshkosh Public Museum staff Arthur Kannenberg. Documentation indicates
that the tombstone that marked this burial identified the remains as
those of ``Mary/wife of/Robert Grignon/died Dec 24, 1851/age/37
years.'' The remains were, reportedly, re-buried in the same grave
except for two vertebrae and two teeth that are now in the possession
of the Oshkosh Public Museum. A contemporaneous account of the
excavation of the grave identified Mary Grignon as the daughter of a
full-blooded Menominee chief. Other historical sources indicate that
her Menominee name is Wak-nau-go-lak. No associated funerary objects
are present.
Oral history indicates that the Riverside Site is located in the
prehistoric traditional territory of the Menominee people. Historical
evidence indicates that both the Potato Rapids Burial Site and the 19th
century component of the Riverside Site were located within the
historically documented 19th century Menominee territory at the time of
occupation. Historical evidence provides likely personal identification
and cultural affiliation for one of the individuals. There is no
evidence to contradict these findings.
Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Oshkosh
Public Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the
human remains described above represent the physical remains of five
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Oshkosh
Public Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2
(d)(2), the 35 objects listed 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. While the likely
identity of one of the individuals reported in this notice has been
determined, officials of the Oshkosh Public Museum have not been able
to trace a direct and unbroken line of descent to a particular
individual, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (b)(1). Lastly, officials of the
Oshkosh Public Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2
(e), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be
reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and
associated funerary objects and the Menominee Indian Tribe of
Wisconsin.
This notice has been sent to officials of the Bad River Band of the
Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation,
Wisconsin; Boise Fort Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa
Indians; Fond du Lac Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Grand Portage
Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
of L'Anse & Ontonagon Bands of Chippewa Indians of the L'Anse
Reservation, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Indians of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation of Wisconsin;
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan;
Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Menominee Indian Tribe
of Wisconsin; Mille Lacs Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; Red Cliff
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Sokoagon Chippewa
Community of the Mole Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Wisconsin; St.
Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, St. Croix Reservation;
[[Page 63886]]
Stockbridge-Munsee Community of Mohican Indians of Wisconsin; White
Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Indians; and Hannahville Indian
Community of Wisconsin Potawatomi Indians of Michigan. Representatives
of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally
affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary objects
should contact Joan Lloyd, Registrar, Oshkosh Public Museum, 1331
Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, WI 54901, telephone (920) 424-4747, before
November 24, 2000. Repatriation of the human remains and associated
funerary objects to the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin may begin
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: October 6, 2000.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 00-27394 Filed 10-24-00; 8:45 am]
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