[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24878-24879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12252]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 
Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI

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 in the possession of the 
Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, 
MI. The human remains were most likely removed from Wayne County and 
unidentified mound builder settlements in Michigan.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
Kalamazoo Valley Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand 
Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe 
of Chippewa Indians of Michigan.
    Prior to 1946, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed as a surface find from an unidentified site in 
the area of Detroit, Wayne County, MI, by amateur collector Leo J. 
Dickey. Mr. Dickey donated the human remains to the Kalamazoo Museum 
(today the Kalamazoo Valley Museum) in 1951. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The limited information provided by the donor for the human remains 
has been determined by museum officials to be insufficient to 
reasonably associate them to any present-day Indian tribe. Therefore, 
officials of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum have determined the Native 
American human remains are culturally unidentifiable.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing two individuals were 
removed from an unidentified mound builder site (or sites) in Michigan. 
In 1946, during an inventory of the Kalamazoo Museum collection, the 
human remains were found uncataloged in the collection. They were 
identified as Native American ancestry based on handwritten labels 
affixed to the foreheads of the skulls reading ``Moundbuilder.'' A 
thorough search of museum records did not reveal the donor of the human 
remains or the date they arrived at the museum. The human remains were 
subsequently cataloged into the collection as Native American human 
remains of Michigan mound builder ancestry. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In June 2008, two anthropology professors from Western Michigan 
University examined the human remains and determined that they were 
consistent with Native American morphology. However, given the 
circumstances of the acquisition of the human remains, the museum staff 
has concluded that there is insufficient information to reasonably 
associate them to any present-day Indian tribe. Therefore, officials of 
the Kalamazoo Valley Museum have determined that the Native American 
human remains are culturally unidentifiable.
    Officials of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum also have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), a shared group relationship 
cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains 
and any present-day Indian tribe.
    The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review 
Committee (Review Committee) is responsible for recommending specific 
actions for disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains. In 
October 2008, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum requested that the Review 
Committee recommend disposition of three culturally unidentifiable 
human remains to the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand 
Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe 
of Chippewa Indians of Michigan, as the aboriginal occupants of 
Michigan.
    The Review Committee considered the proposal at its October 11-12, 
2008 meeting and recommended disposition of the human remains to the 
Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; 
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe 
of Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of 
Michigan. An April 3, 2009 letter on behalf of the Secretary of 
Interior from the Designated Federal Officer, transmitted the 
authorization for the Kalamazoo Valley Museum to effect disposition of 
the human remains to the eight Indian tribes listed above contingent on 
the publication of a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal 
Register. This notice fulfills that requirement.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Paula L. 
Metzner, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, P.O. Box 4070, Kalamazoo, MI 49003-
4070, telephone (269) 373-7958, before June 25, 2009. Disposition of 
the human remains to the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand 
Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 
Michigan; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan;

[[Page 24879]]

and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is responsible for notifying the Bay 
Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; 
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe 
of Michigan; and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 11, 2009.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-12252 Filed 5-22-09; 8:45 am]
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