[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 28077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11851]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[2253-665]

National Park Service

Notice of Inventory Completion: Western Michigan University, 
Anthropology Department, Kalamazoo, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Western Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, 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 human 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 Western 
Michigan University, Department of Anthropology. Disposition of the 
human remains to the Indian tribe 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 Western 
Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, at the address below 
by June 13, 2011.

ADDRESSES: LouAnn Wurst, Department of Anthropology, Western Michigan 
University, 1005 Moore Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, telephone (269) 387-
2753.

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 Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology, Kalamazoo, MI. The human remains were removed from 
Newaygo County, MI.
    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 Western 
Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Little River Band of Ottawa 
Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians 
of Michigan; and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and 
Indiana.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1967 and 1968, human remains representing a minimum of 
three individuals were removed from Section 11, Lilley Township, 
Sission Lake Site, Newaygo County, MI, during excavation by the (now 
former) Newaygo County Archaeological Society. After recovery, the 
remains and funerary objects were sent to Western Michigan University 
for further analysis and curation by Dr. Robert Sundick. No known 
individuals were identified. The funerary objects were identified in 
the excavators' original notes and originally listed in the museum 
inventory, but are not currently found in the collection. Therefore, 
the associated funerary objects are missing from the collection.
    The remains were recovered from a mound context. Two of the crania 
are adults and the third is from an adolescent. The skeletal remains 
are primarily cranium and longbones, suggesting the possibility of 
secondary internments. The Sission Lake Site is dated to the Middle to 
Early Late Woodland period (circa A.D. 600-800) based on the typologies 
of the funerary objects described in the excavators' notes.

Determinations Made by the Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology

    Officials of the Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology, have determined that:
     Based on removal from a mound, Woodland time period of 
associated artifacts, and skeletal and dental morphology, 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.
     Multiple lines of evidence, including the Treaty of 
Washington (1836), continued occupation, and oral tradition, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed 
is the aboriginal land of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, 
Michigan.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains is to the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan.

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 LouAnn Wurst, Department of Anthropology, Western Michigan 
University, 1005 Moore Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, telephone (269) 387-
2753, before June 13, 2011. Disposition of the human remains to the 
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan, may proceed after that 
date if no additional requestors come forward.
    The Western Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, is 
responsible for notifying the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, 
Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of 
Michigan; and the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and 
Indiana, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 9, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-11851 Filed 5-12-11; 8:45 am]
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