Rules and Regulations. Notice

Agency: National Park Service, Interior
Action: Notice
Citation: FR Doc. 2024-12709 · NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038053; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000

Summary

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Grand Rapids Public Museum has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

Dates

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice may occur on or after July 11, 2024.

Supplementary Information

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Abstract of Information Available Based on the information available, human remains representing, at least, one individual has been reasonably identified. The three associated funerary objects are an ax head, steel, and flint. At an unknown date, the related ancestral remains and associated funerary objects were found wrapped in birch bark on Sugar Island about 18 miles from Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, MI by Charles Bradshaw during a house excavation. At an unknown date, they were acquired by Isaac Lemon. In 1907, they were donated to the Kent Scientific Museum (now the Grand Rapids Public Museum). Cultural Affiliation Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice. Determinations The Grand Rapids Public Museum has determined that: • The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. • The three objects described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony. • There is a reasonable connection between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan. Requests for Repatriation Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by: 1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice. 2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after July 11, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Grand Rapids Public Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing requests. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice. Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10. Dated: May 31, 2024. Melanie O'Brien, Manager, National NAGPRA Program. [FR Doc. 2024-12709 Filed 6-10-24; 8:45 am]