Rules and Regulations. Notice

Agency: National Park Service, Interior
Action: Notice
Citation: FR Doc. 2011-31074 · 2253-665

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 January 4, 2012.

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 Itasca 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 Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 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, at minimum, one individual were recovered from the Big Fork River in Itasca County, MN. At an unknown date, Itasca County Sheriff John Muhar transferred the human remains to the Itasca County Historical Society. In 1985, the human remains were transferred to the MIAC (H108-1). No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The condition of the remains and cranial morphology identify these human remains as pre-contact American Indian affiliation. These human remains have no archeological classification and cannot be associated with any present-day Indian tribe. In the 1970s, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were recovered from an undesignated location in Itasca County, MN. The archeological recovery took place during the Pokegama Survey #66 conducted by archeologist Richard Lane, from St. Cloud State University. The human remains were maintained at St. Cloud State University (Acc. #106) until 2006. In 2006, the human remains were transferred to the MIAC (H418-3). No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The condition of the remains and related material recovered during the archeological survey, which included ceramic and lithic habitation materials, suggests a pre-contact American Indian context. These human 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 two 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 January 4, 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: November 29, 2011. Sherry Hutt, Manager, National NAGPRA Program. [FR Doc. 2011-31074 Filed 12-2-11; 8:45 am]