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Governor Orders For Return of 'Kennewick Man' to Tribes

Governor Inslee has ordered the US Army Corps of Engineers to return the remains know as Kennewick man to Native American tribes who may claim them.

The remains were found in 1996 along the Columbia River. They became the property of the US army Corps of engineers, as they were found on land under their control. Following the discovery, the Umatilla tribe wanted the bones returned for burial. But a court ruling in 2004 ordered the Corps to make the bones available for scientific study.

Recent DNA analysis has indicated the 8500 year old bones were of Native American origin. Now Washington Governor Jay Inslee is asking the Corps of Engineers to return those bones to the appropriate tribes.

Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Michael Coffey says there are two components to the Native American graves and Repatriation act they must comply with,  one, that the identification is Native American, which has been confirmed via the DNA test, and the tribal affiliation has not been determined.

Coffey: “So we have the one piece, the Native American piece, but not the cultural affiliation, and so it is likely he is native American, but we need to know what tribe to turn him over to, so what is that tribe and cultural affiliation.”

Governor Inslee has offered the Corps assistance from the state Department of Archaeology and Historic preservation. That agency’s Director, Allyson Brooks, says they deal with Native American remains regularly, and there is the possibility multiple tribes may claim Kennewick Man.

Brooks: “When there are multiple tribes, it has always been that the tribes work it out among themselves, which tribe will come and receive the remains, or perhaps they want us to take the remains to them. But we have always seen the tribes work in coordination with repatriation issue. We have never had a case where we have had to hold remains because the tribes cannot decide who should have access.”

The spokeswoman for the Corps of Engineers says they  are discussing their next step , and hope to make a decision on the future of the Kennewick man remains in the next few months.

Steve was part of the Spokane Public Radio family for many years before he came on air in 1999. His wife, Laurie, produced Radio Ethiopia in the late 1980s through the '90s, and Steve used to “lurk in the shadowy world” of Weekend SPR. Steve has done various on air shifts at the station, including nearly 15 years as the local Morning Edition host. Currently, he is the voice of local weather and news during All Things Considerd, writing, editing, producing and/or delivering newscasts and features for both KPBX and KSFC. Aside from SPR, Steve ,who lives in the country, enjoys gardening, chickens, playing and listening to music, astronomy, photography, sports cars and camping.
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