The Bone Battle (Kennewick Man)

A detailed Summary of The Bone Battle (Kennewick Man)

It all began on a beautiful Washington day. Two hydroplane spectators made a chance discovery of a skull partially embedded in the sediment of the Columbia River. They immediately called the sheriff who in turn informed the Kennewick police. Upon further inspection, the police came across more bones. Eventually, anthropologist James Chatters was sent to investigate. A seemingly simple case soon escalated into a massively complex situation as early analysis of the bones put the approximate age of the remains at over 8,400 years before present. In this archaeological instance, scientists were not only faced with barriers of the past, but also with obstacles of the present as multiple Native American tribes stepped forward claiming ancestry of the bones.

As soon as the Kennewick Man find was made public, many Native American tribes and groups began to file suit for repatriation under NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) regulations. Five Columbia Basin tribes, consisting of the Umatilla, Nez Perce, Yakama, Colville, and Wanapum filed a claim to the remains. Four of the tribes, the Umatilla, the Nez Perce, the Yakama, and the Wanapum, would like to rebury the remains. Armond Minthorn, a Umatilla t

The Colville tribe, unlike the preceding tribes, encouraged further nondestructive analysis of the skeleton.

In answer to the question of possible solutions to the apparent problem concerning ownership of Kennewick Man, one can refer back to many precedences set in similar situations. In the instance of a partial skeleton found in Hourglass Cave, Colorado dated to approximately 8,000 years before present, a representative of the Southern Ute tribe worked on the excavation. Over two years of study and examination of the bones at hand were performed before the skeleton was repatriated. In Alaska, a skeleton similar in age to Kennewick Man was found. After consultation with many local tribes, scientists were allowed ample time to study the sample. These two cases both exhibit peaceful solutions in similar cases. Perhaps these examples can be applied, at least in part, to the Kennewick Man situation. I believe that to rebury the bones without extensive analysis and observation can be likened to cheating, not only the Native Americans, but the whole world, out of a rare opportuni!

http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/kman/anthropoligists.htm, 10

ut." Many other, however, do not share Dr. Adams's sentiment. "Laws like NAGPRA strike at the heart of a scientific archaeology because they elevate the cultural traditions and religious beliefs of Indians to th

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Approximate Word count = 929
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science