Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 71388-71389 [2024-19682]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71388-71389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19682]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038622; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann 
Arbor, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Michigan 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 October 3, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Office Manager, University of 
Michigan, Office of Research, Suite G269, Lane Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 
48109-1274,

[[Page 71389]]

telephone (734) 615-8936, email [email protected].

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 
University of Michigan, and additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, eight individuals have been 
identified. The one lot of associated funerary objects are one lot of 
faunal bone, charcoal, bark, snail shell, and stone. The Burnt Bluff 
site (20DE3) is a series of rock shelters and caves located at Big Bay 
de Noguet/Big Bay de Noc, Delta County, Michigan. Human remains from 
Burnt Bluff were recovered from two separate caves on two different 
occasions. Remains were removed from Spider cave in 1953 by an amateur 
collector and remains were removed from B-95 cave by a University led 
excavation in 1965. The Ancestors are one adult male, two adults, one 
infant six months to 1.5 years, one neonate infant, two children, and 
one adolescent 14-17 years.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human 
remains from the Chalk Hill Mound site (20ME50) were donated to UMMA in 
July of 1953 by John Mitchell, who collected them in March of 1953 from 
a mound at Chalk Hills on the Menominee River, just downstream from 
Nathan on the Michigan side of the river. No known information as to 
how the site was found or excavated, or any specific time period for 
the site. The Ancestor is an adult 30-45 years male.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human 
remains from the Menominee School site (20ME) were donated to UMMAA by 
the superintendent of schools for Menominee county; no name is listed 
on any records. There is very little information regarding the 
circumstances of how the human remains were found or if they were 
recovered from a school in Menominee County. The Ancestor is an adult 
35-60 years male.
    The University of Michigan has no record of, nor do its officials 
have any knowledge of, any treatment of items with pesticides, 
preservatives, or other substances that represent a potential hazard to 
the collection(s) or to persons handling the collection(s).

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 University of Michigan has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 10 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The one lot of 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 connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Bad River 
Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River 
Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Chippewa 
Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Citizen 
Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community, 
Wisconsin; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, 
Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian 
Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 
Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 
Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux 
Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Little River 
Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians of Montana; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of 
Michigan; Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin; Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota (Six component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett 
Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille 
Lacs Band; White Earth Band); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the 
Potawatomi, Michigan; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band Potawatomi 
Nation; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw Chippewa Indian 
Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, 
Michigan; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa 
Indians of Wisconsin; and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians 
of North Dakota.

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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after October 
3, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the 
University of Michigan 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 University of Michigan 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: August 26, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-19682 Filed 8-30-24; 8:45 am]
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