Kennewick Man and the New World Entrada
The Kennewick Man case of Washington state is but the tip of the ice berg for the New World Entrada controversy. Who occupied the American continents first and where did they come from are questions which are intricately connected with the rights of indigenous Native American peoples who lived here at the time, whether they are immediate genealogical ancestors or not.
Latest news reports and feature stories on Kennewick Man and where they are located around the Internet.
The Kennewick Man controversy began with a couple of guys sneaking into a boat race; but the saga includes all of what modern archaeology is about, including science, religion, and indigenous people's rights. This series discusses the Kennewick findings, the issues at stake and the progress of the court case.
For many people, the central issue of Kennewick Man is what 'race' he belongs to. The problem is, anthropologists don't really have a good idea on what 'race' really means.
Race is a very difficult concept to describe scientifically, because it simply isn't a scientific concept: it's a cultural concept. The Kennewick Man case is a perfect example of where culture and science collide.
One of the most important questions faced by Kennewick Man researchers is what does this mean for the original colonization of the American continents?
Another question posed by Kennewick Man and yet to be resolved is who were the earliest inhabitants of the American continents, and where did they come from?
The original finding of the National Park Service was that the Kennewick Man, being a Native American, falls under the jurisdiction of the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)
The stakes for the ultimate dispensation of the Kennewick Man remains were of very high importance to all parties concerned.
The court case awarding legal access to the Kennewick Man skeleton was finally won in 2002; but scientific access is several years off yet.
In Washington State, a controversy erupts over the proposed reburial of an Archaic period skeleton.
