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 PMAE. 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 PMAE.

Description

Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were collected at the Fort Totten Indian School, Benson County, ND. The human remains are hair clippings collected from two individuals, 9 year old Florence Herman, who was identified as “Chippewa,” and 48 year old Mary Herman, who was identified as “Cree.” Orrin C. Gray took the hair clippings at the Fort Totten Indian School between 1930 and 1933. Gray sent the hair clippings to George Woodbury, who donated the hair clippings to the PMAE in 1935. No associated funerary objects are present.

Lineal Descent

The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice are connected to an identifiable individual whose descendants can be traced directly and without interruption by means of a traditional kinship system or by the common law system of descendance.

Determinations

Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after consultation with the appropriate lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations, the PMAE has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
• Meredith Vasta is a direct lineal descendant of the named individuals whose human remains are described in this notice.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 lineal descendants, 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 ( printed page 40858) a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

Repatriation of the human remains in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after July 24, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the PMAE must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and not competing requests. The PMAE is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the lineal descendant 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.

88 FR 40857