Re: oldest American skull found!

From: Eric Stevens (eric.stevens_at_sum.co.nz)
Date: 10/10/04 

Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:31:44 +1300

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 12:59:52 +0100, Doug Weller
<dweller@ramtops.thisremove.co.uk> wrote:

>On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 07:54:24 GMT, I_ E. Johansson wrote:
>
>> "Eric Stevens" <eric.stevens@sum.co.nz> skrev i meddelandet
>> news:9nmhm01e1ie3hq8rer88nrrdrv16hrdejk@4ax.com...
>>> On Sat, 09 Oct 2004 22:52:45 -0500, Tom McDonald
>>> <tmcdonald2672@nohormelcharter.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Larry Caldwell wrote:
>>>>> In article
>> <BqI9d.679033$Gx4.459134@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
>>>>> Donevenask@worlnet.att.net (Philip Deitiker) says...
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>NAGPRA is not a stupid law, it guarantees that Native American
>>>>>>remains are treated as respectively as Europeans remains even
>>>>>>though the burial traditions differ markedly.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Native Americans need to get over it. Take a look at the thread about
>>>>> Medieval Surgeons. They dug up 700 Yorkshire skeletons from 1000 years
>>>>> ago to take a look at them. Nobody cares. That's your example of
>>>>> treating remains 'respectively' as Europeans.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> No, Indians don't have to get over it. We need to work
>>>>together to develop a workable system that respects everyone and
>>>>their beliefs.
>>>
>>> Frankly, I don't think that's possible.
>>
>> No it isn't.
>
>Why isn't it possible? The problem is that it is not actually necessary to
>know anything about prehistoric skeletons. It's just nice. And although I
>myself can't understand people caring about ancient skeletons in the way
>some Indians and others do, I also can't say that my interest in the
>skeletons is more important than theirs.
>
>So again, why isn't it possible?

Because people have conflicting beliefs. We have here a conflict
between those who on one hand think old bones, no matter how old,
deserve deserve special respect and on the other hand those who think
that old bones do not deserve any great respect except as a source of
information. One lot wants to dig up and no doubt cut up old bones and
the other lot wants to leave them in the ground. There is no way you
can develop a workable system which respects both sets of beliefs. One
party or the other is going to have to give up or modify, or
compromise their beliefs.

>[SNIP]
> while it would have been nice to know in advance before tests
>> and studies have been preformed on skeletons found who the person once was
>> and where he had his roots, that isn't possible. Tests and studies of the
>> remains from early settlers in NA as well as elsewhere are needed for many
>> different reasons. That's not the same as when skeletons of aborginals in
>> Australia were brought to Europe's and NA's Museums. That was and still is
>> unrespectful. I am glad that Sweden at least have started to return them to
>> their home.
>>
>> There are many aspects which contradict todays claims by tribe not to have
>> skeletons tested and their DNA-analysed. First of all who can in advance say
>> which skeleton that 'belong' to which tribe. Tribes and people have moved
>> over the millinium that passed and no one can start their claim by saying
>> that Pre-Columbian skeletons MUST be native. You don't know before you
>> tested and studied them, can you? That's said one still have to treat the
>> skeletons with respect but that doesn't exclude tests and analyses.
>>
>> Inger E
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Eric Stevens
>>>

Eric Stevens

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