Notice2025-04200
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
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
March 17, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Michigan State University intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 50 (Monday, March 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 50 (Monday, March 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12340-12341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04200]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039424; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Michigan State University, East
Lansing, MI
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Michigan State University intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of
unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after April 16, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Judith Stoddart, Michigan State University, 287 Delta Court,
East Lansing, MI 48824, telephone (517) 432-2524, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6e1d1a010a0a0f1c1a2e031d1b400b0a1b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cbb8bfa4afafaab9bf8ba6b8bee5aeafbe">[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
Michigan State University, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 40 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The 40 unassociated funerary objects are one lot of Indigenous ceramic
rim and neck sherds, one lot of animal bone, seven flakes, one turtle
shell bowl, one pipe stem, four pieces of bottle glass, four metal
artifacts and scraps, 18 square nails, one lot of historic ceramics,
and two pieces of a plastic hair comb.
The objects were collected from a burial on Mackinac Island,
Michigan in 1969 after it was unearthed during basement construction.
They were subsequently brought to Michigan State University and
accessioned into the Museum collections (Accession 3438).
Determinations
Michigan State University has determined that:
<bullet> The 40 unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe
or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of
Chippewa Indians, Michigan.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by 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 cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after April 16, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, Michigan State University must determine the
most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests
[[Page 12341]]
for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single
request and not competing requests. Michigan State University is
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and
Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and to any
other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: January 28, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-04200 Filed 3-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 17, 2025.
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