The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, with the assistance of the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a written request to the BLM, Alaska State Office. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

In 1934, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed by an unknown person from a village site at a south spit near the entrance to Goodnews Bay, in the Bethel Census Area, AK. The human remains were transferred to the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History by the University of Oregon Medical School's Department of Anatomy in 1953 (cat. # 11-299). An accompanying note indicated, “Found at village site, south spit, near entrance to Goodnews Bay, Alaska, 1934.” The human remains represent a single adult individual of indeterminate sex, between 30-40 years old at the time of death. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Historical documents, ethnographic sources, and oral history indicate that the Yupik Eskimo peoples have occupied the area of Goodnews Bay since pre-contact times. Based on archaeological context and skeletal evidence, the individual above was determined to be of Native American ancestry, of possible Yupik Eskimo cultural affiliation.