2019-13838. Notice of Inventory Completion: Sloan Museum, Flint, MI

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Sloan Museum 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 Sloan Museum. 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 Sloan Museum at the address in this notice by July 29, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Geoff Woodcox, Sloan Museum, 1221 E Kearsley Street, Flint, MI 48503, 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 Sloan Museum, Flint, MI. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Montrose, Genesee County, MI.

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 Sloan Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; 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; 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 (previously listed as the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan.

The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana (previously listed as the Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana); Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; 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; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (previously listed as the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas); Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California & Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; and the Wyandotte Nation were invited but chose not to participate.

Hereafter, the Indian Tribes listed above are referred to as “The Consulted and Invited Tribes.”

History and Description of the Remains

In 1945, human remains representing, at minimum, nine individuals were removed from the Scoto Mounds in Genesee County, MI. The human remains were excavated from the mounds by the acting curator of the Genesee County Historical Society and a group of volunteers, and were added to the collection of that organization. In 1966, upon the opening of the Sloan Museum, ownership of the collection of the Genesee County Historical Society was transferred to the Sloan Museum. Much of the human remains are too fragmentary to define age or sex; however, it was determined that among the nine individuals, there are four children and two adults, of whom two are male and two are probably female. No known individuals were identified. The human remains were not dated at the time of the analysis, and there are no cultural artifacts that would aid in determining the date of the human remains. The one associated funerary object is a deer scapula.

Determinations Made by the Sloan Museum

Officials of the Sloan Museum have determined that:

• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice are Native American, based on an osteological analysis completed by the Michigan State University Department of Anthropology.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of nine individuals of Native American ancestry.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described in this notice 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.
• 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 judgements 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 Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
• 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 Consulted and Invited Tribes.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Consulted and Invited 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 Geoff Woodcox, Curator of Collections, Sloan Museum, 1221 E Kearsley Street, Flint, MI 48503, telephone [phone], email [e-mail], by July 29, 2019. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The Consulted and Invited Tribes may proceed.

The Sloan Museum is responsible for notifying The Consulted and Invited Tribes that this notice has been published.

Dated: June 5, 2019.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.