FR Doc 2010-6577[Federal Register: March 25, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 57)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14467]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25mr10-89]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service
 
Notice of Inventory Completion: Pierce College District, 
Lakewood, WA, and Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.
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    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 control of the 
Pierce College District, Lakewood, WA, and in the physical custody of 
the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human remains were most 
likely removed from Gig Harbor, Pierce County, WA.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Pierce 
College professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Burke Museum and the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, 
Washington.
    During 1973, human remains representing a minimum of two 
individuals were most likely removed from archeological site 45-PI-13 
(Minter II), Gig Harbor, in Pierce County, WA, by Dale McGinnis. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The human remains are from an unspecified excavation and were found 
in a box labeled "Faunal Midden Remains." Initially, they were 
determined to be culturally unidentifiable, based on lack of 
provenience, but additional information was put forward by the Puyallup 
Tribe and other sources, the preponderance of the evidence now supports 
a cultural affiliation for the human remains with the Puyallup Tribe.
    One of the additional sources was Mike Avey, a former Anthropology 
Department Chair at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. In 2006, he stated 
that the human remains might be from the Minter Bay excavation by Dale 
McGinnis. There is a dual numbering system present on the remains. It 
is believed that these human remains initially were numbered while on 
loan to the University of Oregon, and then were numbered by Pierce 
College upon their return, as this dual numbering system does not match 
any of the other archeological collections held by Pierce College. 
Therefore, the Pierce College District reasonably believes the human 
remains were removed from the Minter site. The home of the Minter 
people is an area within the historically and ethnographically 
documented territory of the Puyallup Tribe. This area has long been 
occupied by the Shotlemamish, a Southern Lushootseed speaking group, 
whose descendants are members of the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington.
    Officials of the Pierce College District have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Pierce College District also have determined 
that, 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 the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Chris 
MacKersie, District Director of Safety & Security and Assistant 
Director of Facilities, Pierce College District, 9401 Farwest Dr. SW, 
Lakewood, WA 98498, telephone (253) 912-3655, before April 26, 2010. 
Repatriation of the human remains to the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    Pierce College District is responsible for notifying the Puyallup 
Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: March 3, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-6577 Filed 3-24-10; 8:45 am]
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