Education
Anniversary of Kennewick Man discovery nears


It's been 10 years since the discovery of a 9,000-year-old man dubbed the Kennewick Man.

The remains were found on federal land along the Columbia River in Washington. After consulting with area tribes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers moved to rebury them but were blocked by scientists.

A big court battle ensued over the very foundation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. A federal appeals court eventually concluded that the law doesn't apply to remains that predate 1492 or that can't be connected to present-day tribes.

Since the decision, scientists have been studying the remains. They haven't reported anything significantly different from what was known before the legal fight.

A bill is pending in Congress to change NAGPRA but it ran into controversy in the academic and scientific community.

Get the Story:
The man who found Kennewick Man (The Tri-City Herald 7/25)
Username: indianz, Password: indianz
Kennewick Man's biggest fans (The Tri-City Herald 7/24)
Kennewick Man's bones provide window to past (The Tri-City Herald 7/23)
Tribes pray over Kennewick Man (The Tri-City Herald 7/22)

NAGPRA Amendment Bill:
S.536: Technical Corrections Act

Court Decision:
BONNICHSEN v. US (February 4, 2004)

Relevant Links:
Kennewick Man, Department of Interior - http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/kennewick
Friends of America's Past - http://www.friendsofpast.org
Kennewick Man Virtual Interpretive Center, The Tri-City (Washington) Herald - http://www.kennewick-man.com

Related Stories:
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Time Magazine: Who Were The First Americans? (03/15)
Repatriation a major issue for tribes, museums (03/09)
Opinion: Common ground in Kennewick Man study (3/6)
Science Snapshot: Study of Kennewick Man (2/28)
Scientists continue study of Kennewick Man remains (2/24)
Kennewick Man's teeth may tell true age of remains (02/02)
Bush administration opposes NAGPRA amendment (07/29)
Listening Lounge: Senate hearing on repatriation (07/28)
Editorial: Science trumps Native repatriation (7/27)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearings (7/25)
Editorial: McCain should drop NAGPRA amendment (7/20)
Scientists wrap up work on Kennewick Man remains (7/19)
Kennewick Man scientists fear NAGPRA amendment (7/15)
Scientists begin study of Kennewick Man remains (7/11)
NAGPRA amendment up for hearing in Senate (07/06)
Column: Hearing slated on two-word change to NAGPRA (06/24)
Scientists get ready to study Kennewick Man (6/21)
Tribe says NAGPRA amendment will right a wrong (04/19)
Opinion: McCain bill will block study of ancient remains (04/14)
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Editorial: Let Kennewick Man speak! (say what?) (07/22)
Column: Kennewick Man belongs to everyone (7/21)
Tribes to seek restrictions on Kennewick Man study (7/20)
Tribes drop Kennewick Man claim in court (7/20)
Repatriation process criticized at Senate hearing (07/15)
Editorial: It's about time Kennewick Man case ends (04/29)
Tribes debate next step in Kennewick Man case (04/27)
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