Kennewick win!

The Department of the Interior has reversed its position on the provenance of Kennewick, from siding with the Indians (i.e. that he could be identified with the present- day Umatillas-- or any other tribe) to siding with the scientists, a victory for reason. Money quote, from the Society for American Anthropology:

"The hearing brought several surprises. For starters, Mr. Hoffman testified that not only did the administration oppose the amendment [ the McCain amendment, which would allow present- day tribes to claim all pre- European remains in the U.S.--SB], but it also was changing its position on the Kennewick case. Prior to and during the case, the Department had sided with the tribal claimants of the remains, asserting that the Kennewick Man was both Native American and culturally affiliated with the tribes. Now the Department agrees with the court's finding that the remains are not Native American under NAGPRA. In addition, under questioning, Hoffman stated that the attorneys fees that the courts ordered the Department to pay to the lawyers who represented the scientists in the case were being paid out of the NAGPRA Grants Program.The outlook for the proposed amendment is now uncertain"

Reads more at the SAA website.. Thanks to Reid Farmer and Grayal Farr, who warns:"They will be back".