2011-18354. Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, CO

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The University of Colorado Museum has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the University of Colorado Museum. Disposition of the human remains to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

DATES:

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the University of Colorado Museum at the address below by August 22, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Stephen Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, NAGPRA Consultant, Bernstein & Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone [phone].

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 in the possession of the University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, CO. The human remains were removed from near Laguna, Cibola County, NM.

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. 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 University of Colorado Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico. Information was provided to the Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.

The Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; and White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona (hereinafter the “Aboriginal Land Tribes”), do not object to the disposition of the human remains described in this notice to the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico.

History and description of the remains

On an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one individual were removed from Maxson site number 121, a rock fall near Laguna, Cibola County, NM, by Asa Maxson, an avocational archeologist. In 1982, Mr. Maxson donated his large archeological collection to the museum. On February 6, 2008, during an inventory, the human remains were found in the museum. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the University of Colorado Museum

Officials of the University of Colorado Museum have determined that:

• Based on the archeological context and the collecting history of Mr. Maxson, the human remains are Native American.
• 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 any present-day Indian tribe.
• According to final judgments of the Indian Claims Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; and Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico.
• Multiple lines of evidence, including treaties, Acts of Congress, and Executive Orders, indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; and White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.
• Other credible lines of evidence indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of the Chiricahua Apache. The Chiricahua Apache are Federally-recognized as the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico.
• 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.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the human remains is to the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains or any other Indian tribe that believes it satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should contact Steve Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, NAGPRA Consultant, Bernstein & Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone [phone], before August 22, 2011. Disposition of the human remains to the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, may proceed after that date if no additional requestors come forward.

The University of Colorado Museum is responsible for notifying the Aboriginal Land Tribes that this notice has been published.

Dated: July 14, 2011.

Sangita Chari,

Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.