2015-26318. Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The University of Michigan has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the University of Michigan. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES:

Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request with information in support of the request to the University of Michigan at the address in this notice by November 16, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of Michigan Office of Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 S. Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

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 associated funerary objects under the control of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from the State of Michigan, but the specific counties are unknown.

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 43 CFR 10.11(d). 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.

Consultation

A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary objects was made by the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology (UMMAA) professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan; and the Wyandotte Nation, Oklahoma.

Additional requests for consultation were sent to the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; 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; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians, Kansas; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; 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; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Kansas (previously listed as the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; Sac and Fox Nation, Oklahoma; Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa; Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as Seneca Nation of New York Seneca Nation of Indians); Seneca-Cayuga Nation (previously listed as the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma); Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Tonawanda Band of Seneca (previously listed as the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York); Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; and the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.

Hereafter, all tribes listed in this section are referred to as “The Invited and Consulted Tribes.”

History and Description of the Remains

On an unknown date in the late-1950s or early-1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown location in the State of Michigan, recorded as the Marion's Sister's Find site. The human remains, along with objects, were discovered during road construction activities in northern Michigan and removed from the site by a University of Michigan archeology class. On September 9, 1991, the collections were donated from an estate to the Royal British Columbia Museum (RBCM) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The RBCM subsequently contacted the UMMAA and arranged a transfer. In November of 1991, the UMMAA accessioned the collections. The human remains are from an adult male. It is not known if the objects were associated with the human remains, or if they were recovered from the same site. However, they have been reported as associated funerary objects. The human remains are dated to the Middle Woodland Period (300 B.C—A.D. 500) based on the projectile points being reported as associated funerary objects. No known individuals were identified. The 4 associated funerary objects are 1 triangular-shaped stone celt and 3 corner-notched projectile points.

On an unknown date prior to 1935, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown location in the State of Michigan, recorded as the GL-2048 site. The cranium of an adult female bearing the note “Indian of Michigan, Dr. S. Lathrop” was identified in the holdings of the University of Michigan Department of Anatomy and transferred to the UMMAA in 1935. There are no records indicating how the UM Department of Anatomy acquired the cranium. The cranium has evidence of post-mortem modification, with two holes drilled on the vault, on the left and right parietals respectively, near Bregma. These post-mortem modifications are consistent with those found at the Younge (20LP1), Riviere aux Vase (20MB3), and Farmington I (20OK2) sites in Michigan. No date or time period for the human remains could be established. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were removed from an unknown location in the State of Michigan, recorded as the GL-2053 site. During the 1930s, the UMMAA accessioned the fragmentary cranium and mandible fragment of a child. In September of 2014, UMMAA staff identified additional human remains from an adult that were also part of this accession. No further information is available. No date or time period for the human remains could be established. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were removed from an unknown location in the State of Michigan, recorded as the GL-2091 site. The UMMAA collectively accessioned the fragmentary human remains of an adult male and a child. It is unknown whether these individuals were removed from the same location. No further information is available. No date or time period for the human remains could be established. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown location in the State of Michigan, recorded as the Unknown Mich. H site. While completing the re-inventory of an unprovenienced box of site collections, UMMAA staff separated out the uncataloged human remains of an adult labeled “Mich.” and “H.” No further information is available. No date or time period for the human remains could be established. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the University of Michigan

Officials of the University of Michigan have determined that:

• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice are Native American based on cranial morphology, dental traits, post-mortem modifications, and accession documentation.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of seven individuals of Native American ancestry.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 4 objects described in this notice 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.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribe.
• According to final judgments of the Indian Claims Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The Invited and Consulted Tribes.
• Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The Invited and Consulted Tribes.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Invited and Consulted Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request with information in support of the request to Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of Michigan Office of Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 S. Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone [phone], email [e-mail], by November 16, 2015. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The Invited and Consulted Tribes may proceed.

The University of Michigan is responsible for notifying The Invited and Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

Dated: September 22, 2015.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.