[Federal Register: May 14, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 93)]
[Notices]
[Page 24398-24399]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my01-87]

[[Page 24398]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Colorado
Historical Society, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9,
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated
funerary objects in the possession of Colorado State Historical
Society, Denver, CO.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2(c). The
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary
objects was made by Colorado Historical Society professional staff in
consultation with representatives of the Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind
River Reservation, Wyoming; Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma;
Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma;
Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern
Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine
Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Rosebud
Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Southern
Ute Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Three Affiliated
Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; Ute Indian Tribe
of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ute Mountain Tribe of the
Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah. The following
tribes were invited, but were unable to participate in consultations:
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Tribe of the Jicarilla
Apache Indian Reservation, New Mexico; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River
Reservation, Wyoming; and Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita,
Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.
    In August 1994, human remains representing one individual were
observed by a Colorado Springs man and his children in an arroyo slump
in Colorado Springs, CO. Without disturbing the remains, the man
contacted the Colorado Springs sheriff, who visited the site to collect
all of the visible remains. The Office of the State Archaeologist was
contacted on August 26 and, with the assistance of local
archaeologists, the remaining portions of the burial were excavated
between August 26 and 30, 1994. The remains, consisting of the nearly
complete skeleton of an adult male, were originally buried in a flexed
position. The teeth show unusually heavy wear and polish on all sides,
with wear patterns on the front teeth suggestive of their use as tools.
The totality of these circumstances supports the identification of this
individual as Native American. No known individual was identified. The
six associated funerary objects are a jasper biface, a ground and
polished animal scapula, three flakes, and a piece of stone shatter.
    Based on the totality of the circumstances surrounding the
acquisition of these human remains and associated funerary objects, and
evidence of traditional territories, oral traditions, archaeological
context, material culture, and dentition, officials of the Colorado
Historical Society have determined that the burial dates to the
prehistoric period, and that there is cultural affiliation with the
present-day tribes who jointly claim a presence in the region prior to
and during the contact period. Official representatives of 12 tribes
signed and submitted a document to the Colorado Historical Society on
October 12, 2000, jointly claiming cultural affiliation to these human
remains and associated funerary objects. The 12 tribes are the
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma;
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma;
Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation,
Montana; Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South
Dakota; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud
Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the
Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort
Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah &
Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Colorado
Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(1),
the human remains listed above represent the physical remains of one
individual of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Colorado
Historical Society also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR
10.2(d)(2), the six objects listed above 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. Lastly, pursuant
to 43 CFR 10.2(e), officials of the Colorado Historical Society have
determined that, based upon traditional territories and oral
traditions, there is a relationship of shared group identity that can
be reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and
the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; Comanche Indian Tribe,
Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of
Oklahoma; Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian
Reservation, Montana; Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation,
South Dakota; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the
Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of
the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Three Affiliated Tribes of the
Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah
& Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Apache Tribe of
Oklahoma; Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming;
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the
Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Comanche Indian Tribe,
Oklahoma; Crow Tribe of Montana; Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of the Crow
Creek Reservation, South Dakota; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma;
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Tribe of the Jicarilla Apache
Indian Reservation, New Mexico; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma;
Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo
Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; Oglala Sioux Tribe of
the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma;
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 Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico;
Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico;
Pueblo of San Juan, New Mexico;

[[Page 24399]]

Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico;
Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico;
Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo
of Tesuque, New Mexico, Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Rosebud Sioux Tribe
of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Shoshone Tribe of the
Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort
Hall Reservation of Idaho; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern
Ute Reservation, Colorado; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South
Dakota; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North
Dakota; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; Ute
Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico &
Utah; Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco &
Tawakonie), Oklahoma; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New
Mexico. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself
to be culturally affiliated with these human remains should contact
Anne W. Bond, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Colorado
Historical Society, 1300 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203-2137, telephone
(303) 866-4691, before June 13, 2001. Repatriation of the human remains
to the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma; Comanche Indian Tribe,
Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of
Oklahoma; Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian
Reservation, Montana; Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation,
South Dakota; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the
Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of
the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Three Affiliated Tribes of the
Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah
& Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah may begin after that date if
no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: April 27, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-12019 Filed 5-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
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