What to do with Kennewick Man
A federal law governing protection of American Indian graves would be amended to allow scientific study of ancient remains discovered on federal lands if the remains have not been tied to a current tribe, under a bill proposed by U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings.
The bill marks the latest step in a dispute sparked by the discovery of Kennewick Man, one of the oldest and most complete skeletons ever found in North America. Indian tribes and researchers battled over rights to the 9,300-year-old remains for nine years before a federal court sided with the scientists, allowing them to study the bones.
Hastings, R-Wash., said his bill counters efforts in the Senate that would prevent ancient remains from being studied in the future. He cited a case in Nevada where tribal leaders have filed suit against the government to rebury the Spirit Cave Man remains, believed to be more than 10,000 years old.
“My proposal protects the rights of present day Native Americans to claim the remains of their ancestors when found on federal lands,” Hastings said. “At the same time, it reiterates that in cases of truly ancient human remains – such as Kennewick Man – Congress does not intend to block scientific study.”
I have no opinion on Kennewick Man. It does not affect me; it does not affect anyone I know; it does not affect anyone who anyone I know knows. I want my remains to be fed to wolves.
I have two suggestions for Kennewick Man. Give it to the UN. I have no real reason to give it to the UN, except to give people a reason to give a middle finger to the hovering black helicopters I’ve heard hover over the area.
The second possibility is to give it to Skull and Bones. Thus they can hand back Geronomo’s skull to the Nez Perce tribe, and mend those fences. And then snub their thumb at a different tribe, as is, apparently, their prolonged adolsecent want.