[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11575-11576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4515]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand 
Rapids, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Grand Rapids Public Museum has completed an inventory of 
human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
and present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and 
associated funerary objects may contact the Grand Rapids Public Museum. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional claimants 
come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary 
object should contact the Grand Rapids Public Museum at the address 
below by March 28, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Collections and 
Preservation, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand 
Rapids, MI 49504, telephone (616) 929-1801.

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 and an 
associated funerary object in the possession of the Grand Rapids Public 
Museum, Grand Rapids, MI. The human remains and associated funerary 
object were removed from an unknown location.

[[Page 11576]]

    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 and associated funerary object. 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 Grand 
Rapids Public Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona on behalf of 
themselves and the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation, Arizona; and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa 
Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona. The Zuni Tribe 
of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona 
indicated they were affiliated with the Hohokam culture but did not 
take part in consultation.

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, a Hohokam red on buff swirl designed vessel 
containing the cremated remains of one individual was removed from an 
unknown location by an unknown individual. At an unknown date, G.S. 
Knapp acquired the Hohokam crematory vessel. In 1914, G.S. Knapp sold 
the vessel to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. No known individuals were 
identified. The one associated funerary object is a pottery vessel.
    Although the Grand Rapids Public Museum's records state that the 
vessel is from ``Flats of Doe Run, MO'' and is from a mound builder 
culture, Missouri is not an area traditionally occupied by the Hohokam, 
and the vessel type is indicative of an Arizona origin. On November 12, 
2010, the vessel was identified by Peter Steere of the Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona as being an Early-Middle Rincon Phase Red-on-Brown 
design from the Tucson Basin, ca. A.D. 1100. In 1990, representatives 
of the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community 
of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of 
Arizona issued a joint policy statement claiming ancestral ties to the 
Hohokam cultural traditions.

Determinations Made by the Grand Rapids Public Museum

    Officials of the Grand Rapids Public Museum have determined that:
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described 
above is 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.
    <bullet> 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 associated funerary object and the Tohono 
O'odham Nation of Arizona; Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak 
Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the 
Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; and the Salt River Pima-
Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Marilyn Merdzinski, Director of Collections and 
Preservation, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW., Grand 
Rapids, MI 49504, telephone (616) 929-1801, March 28, 2012. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Grand Rapids Public Museum is responsible for notifying the Ak 
Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa 
Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 22, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-4515 Filed 2-24-12; 8:45 am]
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