[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 169 (Friday, August 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50993-50994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20093]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, 
St. Paul and Bemidji, MN

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. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
object in the possession of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, St. 
Paul and Bemidji, MN. The human remains and associated funerary object 
were removed from Faribault and Goodhue Counties, MN.
    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 objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, Iowa Tribe of 
Oklahoma, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    In 1935, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from a mound on the Cady Farm (21GD17), Goodhue County, 
MN, by Edward Schmidt, an avocational archeologist. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Site records in the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist 
record a minimum of 226 mounds at the Cady Farm site, and suggest an 
Oneota cultural affiliation. Based on continuities of material culture, 
historical documents, and oral history, the Oneota phase of the 
Mississippian archeological culture has been determined to be ancestral 
to the present-day Otoe and Ioway.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one

[[Page 50994]]

individual were removed from the Bartron farm (21GD2), near Red Wing, 
Goodhue County, MN, by Edward Schmidt, an avocational archeologist No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Site records in the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist 
indicate that the Bartron Site is a village site of Oneota cultural 
affiliation. Based on continuities of material culture, historical 
documents, and oral history, the Oneota phase of the Mississippian 
archeological culture has been determined to be ancestral to the 
present-day Otoe and Ioway.
    In 1960-62, human remains representing a minimum of five 
individuals were removed from the Fort Sweney site (21GD86), Goodhue 
County, MN, during archeological excavations conducted by the Science 
Museum of Minnesota. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Site records in the Minnesota office of the State Archaeologist 
indicate that Fort Sweney is a multi-component cemetery and habitation 
site with Late Woodland and Oneota components. The mortuary styles of 
the burials excavated in 1960-62 indicate that they are associated with 
the Oneota component of the site. Based on continuities of material 
culture, historical documents, and oral history, the Oneota phase of 
the Mississippian archeological culture has been determined to be 
ancestral to the present-day Otoe and Ioway.
    In 1998, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from the Vosburg site (21FA2), Faribault County, MN, 
during archeological excavations conducted by the University of 
Minnesota. No known individual was identified. The one associated 
funerary object is a segment of rib from a large mammal.
    Site records in the Minnesota office of the State Archaeologist 
indicate that the Vosburg site is a cemetery and habitation site 
classified as belonging to the Blue Earth/Oneota phase. Based on 
continuities of material culture, historical documents, and oral 
history, the Oneota phase of the Mississippian archeological culture 
has been determined to be ancestral to the present-day Otoe and Ioway. 
Descendants of the Otoe and Ioway are members of the Iowa Tribe of 
Kansas and Nebraska, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe 
of Indians, Oklahoma.
    Officials of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of 10 individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council 
also have determined that, 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. Lastly, officials of the Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council have determined that, 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 Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, 
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
object should contact James L. (Jim) Jones, Jr., Cultural Resource 
Director, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue North, 
Suite 5, Bemidji, MN 56601, telephone (218) 755-3223, before September 
29, 2008. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
object to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, Iowa Tribe of 
Oklahoma, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council is responsible for notifying 
the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and 
Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 4, 2008.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-20093 Filed 8-28-08; 8:45 am]
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