Federal Register, Volume 76 Issue 119 (Tuesday, June 21, 2011)
[Notices]
[Pages 36145-36146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15428]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]

Notice of Inventory Completion: Western Michigan University, 
Department of Anthropology, 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 and associated funerary 
objects, 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 and associated funerary objects may contact Western Michigan 
University, Department of Anthropology. Disposition of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary 
objects should contact the Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology, at the address below by July 21, 2011.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby 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 and 
associated funerary objects in the possession of Western Michigan 
University, Department of Anthropology, Kalamazoo, MI. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Mendon 
Township, St. Joseph 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 and associated funerary 
objects. 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 Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band 
of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the 
Potawatomi, Michigan (formerly the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon 
Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; and the Saginaw 
Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan (hereinafter referred to as ``The 
Tribes''). The Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of 
Michigan; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan; and the 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan have sent the Western 
Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, letters of support and 
do

[[Page 36146]]

not object to disposition of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects described in this notice to the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi 
Indians, Michigan and Indiana.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1988, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from the Kline Site, in Mendon Township, St. Joseph 
County, MI, during excavation by the Western Michigan University field 
school directed by Dr. William Cremin. The remains were encountered 
during excavation of the agricultural plow zone. As a result, the 
burial was heavily disturbed and the human remains were shattered into 
128 fragments. After the field season was completed, the remains were 
transferred to Western Michigan University's anthropology department 
for further curation and study. The remains were too fragmentary for 
morphological identification. No known individual was identified. The 
33 associated funerary objects are 1 green slate gorget, 1 ceramic 
elbow pipe, 1 Levanna type triangular point, 1 broken lithic biface 
(possible projectile point base), 1 ceramic body sherd, 26 lithic 
flakes, 1 vial with residue from clay pipe, and 1 small bag containing 
a soil sample.

Determinations Made by the Western Michigan University, Anthropology 
Department

    Officials of Western Michigan University, Department of 
Anthropology, have determined that:
     Based on the associated funerary objects and oral 
traditions, 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 associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian tribe.
     Multiple lines of evidence, including the Chicago Treaty 
of 1833, continued occupation of the area, and oral tradition, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects 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 one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 33 objects described 
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.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects is to the Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects 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 July 21, 2011. 
Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana, may proceed 
after that date if no additional requestors come forward.
    Western Michigan University, Department of Anthropology, is 
responsible for notifying The Tribes that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: June 15, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-15428 Filed 6-20-11; 8:45 am]
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