The Ainu were inhabitants of the Asian mainland until historic times. They moved into Japan as the Emishi moved South to the more populated parts.
Posted on 02/15/2007 9:36:08 AM PST by blam
Anthropologists Back Native American Claims
The case of Kennewick Man – or the Ancient One – as Native Americans refer to him, dragged through the courts for years before Judge John Jelderks found that he could not be defined Native American under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
A recent case regarding repatriation of even older remains and artifacts from Spirit Cave, Nev., suggests that the Kennewick Man case should be used as a legal precedent and that the remains of Spirit Cave Man are not Native American.
Four University of New Mexico anthropologists have written an article where they suggest that a precedent in Paleoindian human remains is “inappropriate and unnecessary.” They claim that each case is unique and that repatriation determination should be handled case-by-case.
Heather Edgar, Maxwell Museum curator and assistant research professor in anthropology, is lead author on the article titled, “Contextual issues in Paleoindian repatriation: Spirit Cave Man as a case study,” featured in the Feb. 2007 issue Journal of Social Archaeology. Other authors from the Department of Anthropology are Edward Jolie, Joseph Powell and Joe Watkins.
Spirit Cave Man was found approximately 70 years ago on Bureau of Land Management land that is part of an area government documents refer to as “traditional tribal lands,” nevertheless the BLM says the remains are “unaffiliatable.” The Fallon-Paiute-Shoshone filed a lawsuit against the BLM because they consider him their ancestor. Carbon dating determined him to be older than Kennewick Man. DNA testing on both skeletons was inconclusive.
Edgar said that DNA testing is one determiner for affiliation. “Another way is by what artifacts are found with the remains,” Edgar said. Skeletal remains and one point in the hip is all that was found of Kennewick Man.
“Many artifacts or ‘perishables’ were found with Spirit Cave Man because of the arid condition in and around the cave, she said. “There were blankets, a burial shroud, bags, moccasins and a breechcloth,” Edgar said. The items are now in the Nevada State Museum.
Edgar is quick to point out that repatriation is moving away from being a polarizing issue. “This presents an unfair view of anthropology. All four of us who worked on this article think the amicus brief that ruled on Spirit Cave Man based on the Kennewick Man precedent is wrong,” she said. She noted that among them two are biological anthropologists, two are archaeologists, two are natives, two non-natives.
Jolie, who is a member of the Ogalala Lakota, said, “We must balance between respect to the profession and to the past.”
Edgar said that many tribes are beginning to recognize the value in DNA and other scientific testing in helping them piece together their own history.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu
When folks earn their Bachelors degree in Anthropology they are told that Antrhoplogy IS a science.
On the other hand, it is a "Liberal Arts" degree...
Gee, thanks. I'm going to spend the rest of the work day there. That is so cool.
"almost entirely absent from Siberia..."
Very interesting, great link, thanks.
I just doubled-checked. It's there right after 'W' and before 'YAP'. The list is longer that what is in the window. Scroll it on down.
This has nothing directly to do with this thread, but I'm taking the opportunity to apprise you of a very interesting film. If you have a connection fast enough to watch streaming video, you'll like this:
Secrets of the Incas: War Against Time
http://www.thothweb.com/modules.php?name=Google_Videos&viewvid=157
Run time is a bit over 46 minutes.
Thanks. I watched about six minutes just now...I've bookmarked it to complete later.
This article should have explained the issues a bit.
From Jelderks ruling:
"The term "Native American" requires, at a minimum, a cultural relationship between remains or other cultural items and a present-day tribe, people, or culture indigenous to the United States. A thorough review of the 22,000-page administrative record does not reveal the existence of evidence from which that relationship may be established in this case."( BONNICHSEN et al vs. USDA et al)
Since there is no DNA evidence and there is no Cultural evidence that ties him to a current tribe, the finding of Native American cannot be made. This of course doesn't mean that he's not a biological ancestor.
There are all sorts of older populations of "modern humans" all over the world. The current law is rather "United States ethnocentric" in a most inappropriate way.
Besides, none of us were around at the time so we are not guilty, didn't eat anybody's ancestors, and are much more interested in moving ahead than pining for the old days doing our share of sword chopping.
The Ainu were inhabitants of the Asian mainland until historic times. They moved into Japan as the Emishi moved South to the more populated parts.
Thanks, will try it in a bit.
That film about the Incas was fascinating. They have a tragic history indeed.
tee-hee!
Unless discussing Israel re: "Palestine".
Shame on me, I know.
They live in a fantastic landscape. Films about the Andes are always visually rich. I hope to visit there one day.
Europeans and East Asians share a common origin. The East Asians, however, divided into two groups AFTER they separated from the European destined group.
One subgroup is ancestral to the Emishi, Ainu, and probably Kenniwick Man. The other subgroup is ancestral to the Chinese, Mongols, et al in the Far East.
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