Notice2023-11689
Notice of Inventory Completion: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, St. Paul, MN
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 1, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Aitkin, Cass, Hubbard, Kanabec, Ottertail, and Todd Counties, MN.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 105 (Thursday, June 1, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35911-35912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11689]
[[Page 35911]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0035957; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council,
St. Paul, MN
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC)
has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary
objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between
the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and
associated funerary objects were removed from Aitkin, Cass, Hubbard,
Kanabec, Ottertail, and Todd Counties, MN.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after July 3, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Dylan Goetsch, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, 161 St.
Anthony Avenue, Suite 919, St. Paul, MN 55103, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#76120f1a1718581119130205151e360502170213581b18580305"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="690d10050807470e060c1d1a0a01291a1d081d0c470407471c1a">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results
of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records held
by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
Description
At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, three
individuals were removed from Aitkin County, MN. The individuals were
recovered by the homeowner during the construction of a house on Big
Sandy Lake at the William Alexander Aitkin Fur Post site, which is
situated within the Savana Portage State Park. In 1983, the homeowner
donated the human remains and other artifacts from the property to a
local historian. In 1988, the human remains and other artifacts were
loaned to the Savannah Portage State Park (Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources). In October of 1992, the Savannah Portage State Park
did an inventory of the collection and transferred these human remains
and funerary objects associated with them to the Minnesota Indian
Affairs Council (H217). No known individuals were identified. The 24
associated funerary objects include sand, tin pail fragments, bark with
vermillion, linen or cotton fabric, felt or wool fabric, leather,
twisted cord, silver fragments (jewelry), a carved wooden stick, a wood
fragment with cloth attached, black felt fabric, felt fabric with
beads, braided hair, square nails, woven bark, rigs, wool fabric, a
small silver or brass ring, a silver ribbon ring, a leather braid tie,
wood fragments, small fragments of silver broaches, a small tied cloth
object, woven fabric, and metal tinklers.
In July of 1966, human remains representing, at minimum, one
individual were removed by a private citizen from an eroding bank at
21-AK-04, the Sandy Lake Northwest Company Post in Aitkin County, MN.
In 1995, these human remains were transferred to the Minnesota Indian
Affairs Council (H295). No known individual was identified. The 26
associated funerary objects include copper coils, hair, white shell
beads, a white glass bead, metal fragments, faunal remains, a fur and
cloth object, a cloth and metal object, and soil.
At an unknown time, human remains representing, at minimum, one
individual were removed during road construction near Upper Rice Lake
from Aitkin County, MN. The human remains were transferred to MIAC on
November 8, 2007. A note with the human remains indicates they were
initially given to a Dr. Brook by Gil (Gilbert) George of St. Paul and
received the accession number 732. The note also indicates that a rifle
and cartridge case were buried with the human remains, but those items
were not transferred to MIAC or referenced in any other notes. No known
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
On August 21, 2015, human remains representing, at minimum, one
individual were removed during construction activities from the City of
Lake Shore in Cass County, MN, and sent to the Ramsey County Medical
Examiner's Office (2015-2084). On September 25, 2015, the human remains
were transferred to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (H488). These
human remains belong to an adult male. No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
Between 1984 and the mid-1990s, human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed by unknown persons from an area
near the Fish Hook River, close to the city of Park Rapids, in Hubbard
County, MN. Subsequently, these human remains were relinquished to Alan
Brew, a Professor at Bemidji State University. On November 15, 2007,
the human remains were transferred to the Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council (H437). No known individual was identified. The 69 associated
funerary objects include navy blue, pink, white/cream seed beads and
three sherds of a white and blue earthenware cup.
In August of 1971, human remains representing, at minimum, one
individual were removed by Saint Cloud State University from an
unspecified location on Knife Lake in Kanabec County, MN. In February
of 2006, Saint Cloud State University transferred these human remains
together with associated funerary objects to the Minnesota Indian
Affairs Council (H417). No known individual was identified. The 3,876
associated funerary objects include one copper or brass ring associated
with a hand phalanx, one ceramic button, one metal shank button, and
3,873 funerary objects consisting of seed beads, tubular beads, flat
beads, black fabric, red fabric, brown fabric, metal pieces, leather
fragments, coffin wood, and birch bark fragments.
In 2021, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from Ottertail County, MN. Construction workers fixing a
damaged shed unearthed the human remains via a small trench. Local law
enforcement responded to the scene and began an investigation. Locals
who had heard of the incident contacted the Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council. MIAC visited the site with law enforcement. Law Enforcement
determined the human remains to be Native American and transferred them
to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
In August of 1993, May and November of 1995, and July of 1996,
human remains representing, at minimum, four individuals were removed
by the Office of the State Archaeologist eroding from a bank along the
Northeast shore of Otter Tail Lake, in Ottertail County, MN (site 21-
OT-110, Peterson Burials). In 1993, 1995, and 1996, these human remains
were transferred to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (H243, H293).
No known individuals were identified. The 200 associated funerary
objects include two thin metal bands (possibly belonging a wedding
band); one quartz bipolar flake; one small buckle; and 196
[[Page 35912]]
funerary objects consisting of coffin hardware, wood, and nails; faunal
remains; buttons; cloth fragments; and soil samples.
On October 26, 1995, human remains representing, at minimum, two
individuals were removed during construction activities under a road
near Lake Osakis in Todd County, MN. The Osakis Police Department were
notified, and the human remains were turned over to the Ramsey County
Medical Examiner's Office. On October 30, 1995, the human remains were
transferred to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (H299). On January
11, 1996, additional human remains belonging to these individuals were
transferred to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council from the Office of
the State Archaeologist following their investigation of the site. No
known individuals were identified. The two associated funerary objects
are patinated brass tinkers or jingle cones.
Cultural Affiliation
The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice
are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes,
peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity
between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures
and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The
following types of information were used to reasonably trace the
relationship: anthropological, archeological, biological, folkloric,
geographical, historical, oral traditional, and other relevant
information or expert opinion.
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations, the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council has determined
that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 15 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 4,197 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.
<bullet> There is a relationship of shared group identity that can
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary
objects described in this notice and the 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) and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after July 3, 2023. If
competing requests for repatriation are received, the Minnesota Indian
Affairs Council must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not
competing requests. The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council is responsible
for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes identified in
this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10,
and 10.14.
Dated: May 24, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-11689 Filed 5-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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