State admits moving tribal ancestors

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2002

A South Dakota crew working on a Missouri River site admitted excavating Sioux tribal ancestors because state officials thought they weren't Native American.

When the state and the Army Corps of Engineers discovered the slipup, they immediately notified three tribes, including the Yankton Sioux Tribe. But the state apparently didn't notify the workers at the site because Yankton tribal members showed up yesterday and found the contractors still digging.

The contractors, one of which is Native-owned, said they weren't notified. They immediately halted work.

Get the Story:
Tribe: Workers moved bones (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 6/5)
Senate eyes more protection for Indian sites (AP 6/5)
Indian site protection requested (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 6/5)