FR Doc E8-25764[Federal Register: October 29, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 210)]
[Notices]
[Page 64367-64368]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29oc08-91]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 7, Anchorage, AK
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region
7, Anchorage, AK. The human remains were removed from Carlisle Island
in the Islands of the Four Mountains area of the Aleutian Islands chain
in Alaska.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative
[[Page 64368]]
responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 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.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Region 7 professional staff with assistance from
the Alaska State Office of History and Archaeology and University of
Alaska, Anchorage, in consultation with representatives of the Aleut
Corporation and Unangan Repatriation Commission, a non-federally
recognized Native Alaskan group.
In 1949, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were removed from Carlisle Island, in the Islands of the Four Mountains
area of the Aleutian Islands chain in Alaska, during an expedition by
William S. Laughlin, a physical anthropologist. No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
There are no radiocarbon dates available for the human remains. All
known dated cave burials from the Aleutians are younger than 2,000
years old (Black 1982, pg 24; Black 2003, pg 36; Hayes 2002). The
burial context and physical traits of the human remains are consistent
with those observed for pre-contact Aleut populations. Human remains
and associated grave goods from sites in the Aleutians that were
collected by Dr. Laughlin were sent to the University of Connecticut.
In 2002, most of the Aleutian Island human remains were sent to The
Museum of the Aleutians in Unalaska, AK.
Analysis, including cranio-metric analysis, by the University of
Alaska, Anchorage and with the assistance of the Alaska State Office of
History and Archaeology, were done on the human remains. Radiocarbon
dates were not obtained by the University of Alaska Anchorage or the
State Office of History and Archaeology. Skeletal morphology of
present-day Aleut populations is similar to that of prehistoric Aleut
populations and demonstrates biological affiliation between present-day
Aleut groups and prehistoric populations in the Aleutian Islands.
Cultural affiliation between the prehistoric population on Carlisle
Island and the Chaluka Corporation and Native Village of Nikolski is
demonstrated by recent historical records. In 1741, Russian explorers
made contact with the people of the Islands of the Four Mountains.
These people and their culture are not well known, but were a distinct
variant of the Aleutian culture. In the late 1700s, with Russian
assistance, the Umnak Aleuts waged war on the people of the Islands of
the Four Mountains. Survivors of the conflict were removed to villages
on Umnak Island and absorbed into the population and the population of
the Islands of the Four Mountains was "no more" by 1790 (Black 1982,
pg 20). Based on scientific studies, aboriginal occupation, historical
records, and burial context, it is reasonably believed that the
descendants of the people of the Islands of the Four Mountains,
including Carlisle Island, are members of the present-day Chaluka
Corporation and Native Village of Nikolski, which is represented by the
Nikolski IRA Council.
Officials of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 7 have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains
described above represent the physical remains of one individual of
Native American ancestry. Officials of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Region 7 also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C.
3001(2), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and the
Chaluka Corporation and Native Village of Nikolski.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Debra
Corbett, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road,
Anchorage, AK 99503, telephone (907) 786-3399, before November 28,
2008. Repatriation of the human remains to the Chaluka Corporation and
Native Village of Nikolski may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 7 is responsible for
notifying the Chaluka Corporation Native Village of Nikolski, and
Nikolski IRA Council that this notice has been published.
Dated: September 30, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-25764 Filed 10-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S
Back to the top