[Federal Register: March 15, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 50)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14047]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15mr11-106]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]

 
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, that meet 
the definition of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    At an unknown date, an iron fish spear, a string of bird bone 
ornaments, and a segment of bird bone were removed from an Indian grave 
in Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, MI, by an unknown individual. The 
string of bird bone ornaments was donated to the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology by Mary S. Felton and Dr. Joseph Leidy in 
1868. The iron fish spear and segment of bird bone were donated to the 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology by Mary Felton in 1868.
    At an unknown date, a string of glass beads and a mirror were 
removed from Indian graves in Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, MI, by an 
unknown individual. These items were donated by Mary S. Felton to the 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in 1868.
    At an unknown date, a silver trade cross was removed from an Indian 
grave in Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, MI, by an unknown individual. 
Mary S. Felton donated this item to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology in 1869.
    Museum records indicate that these cultural items were removed from 
Indian graves in Ontonagon, Ontonagon County, MI. The Peabody Museum is 
not in possession or control of the human remains from these 
interments. The presence of trade items, such as the iron fish spear, 
mirror, glass beads, and silver trade cross, indicates that these 
interments date to the Historic/Contact period, specifically the late 
18th and 19th centuries. Historical documentation indicates that the 
Ontonagon area was occupied by the Ontonagon Band of Chippewa people 
during this time period. The present-day tribe that represents the 
Ontonagon Band of Chippewa is the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, 
Michigan.
    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have 
determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), that the six cultural 
items 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of 
the evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of 
Native American individuals. Officials of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology also have determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001(2), that there is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the unassociated funerary objects and the 
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Patricia Capone, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Ave., 
Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone (617) 496-3702, before April 14, 2011. 
Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to the Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan, may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is responsible for 
notifying the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett 
Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Fond du Lac Band of 
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Grand Portage Band of the 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, 
Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, 
Michigan; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; 
Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Red Cliff 
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa 
Indians of Wisconsin; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; and the 
White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota, that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: March 9, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-5870 Filed 3-14-11; 8:45 am]
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