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The “Kennewick Man” controversy is an extremely important case in the history of American anthropology. As anthropologists with backgrounds in American Indian studies and American archaeology, we have a particular interest in this case. In this paper we present our perspective on the Kennewick Man case as anthropologists with expertise in archaeology, Pacific Northwest precontact history, Plateau ethnology, and cultural resource law. In general we find that the August 30, 2000, decision of Magistrate John Jelderks of the United States District Court for the district of Oregon to be incorrect and without anthropological foundation. Based on an analysis of the evidence reviewed by the Department of the Interior and Magistrate Jelderks we conclude that the Department of the Interior made a reasonable decision in determining that a preponderance of the evidence supports repatriation of the Kennewick Man to the defendants.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome studies have been used increasingly over the last 20 years by anthropological geneticists and others to reconstruct the peopling of the Americas as well as to infer American Indian cultural affiliation and demographic histories. While the promise of this method is great, there are several problems inherent in some of its current uses. These limitations are discussed concerning the following six currently accepted methods: interpretation of coalescent times as times of origin; 2) the current uses of haplogroups; 3) sample sizes; 4) use of language groups to define population groups; 5) use of contemporary American Indian reservations to infer prehistoric tribal history; and 6) a combination of these to determine American Indian population history, historic migrations, and demographic history. This paper concludes that caution must be exercised in claiming too much for the method. Instead, it is recommend that it be used in conjunction with other established sources of data such as oral history, ethnography, linguistics, and archaeology when attempting to reconstruct American Indian cultural history or in determining the cultural affiliation of groups.

Abstract--Although subsampling is a common method for describing the composition of large and diverse trawl catches, the accuracy of these techniques is often unknown. We determined the sampling errors generated [...]

Indigenous cultures throughout the world have struggled to maintain many of their traditional lifeways and cultural identity in the face of pressure from modernizing forces (industrialization, population and demographic changes, globalization, and modern socioeconomic and sociopolitical forces). These forces have particularly affected the Nez Perce of the Plateau culture area in north-western North America. This article discusses how these forces have impacted the Nez Perce for well over a hundred years, though major impacts did not begin until the damming of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, when access to salmon became an issue. In this regard, the Nez Perce are an informative case in the study of cultural preservation, cultural change, and cultural identity in the face of these forces. Using Elias Canetti's idea of 'crowd symbol' and Sherry Ortner's idea of 'key symbol', this article argues that salmon play a similar role in the formation and maintenance of Nez Perce cultural preservation and identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the system of ethics of Yoga. Difference of the concept of moral truth in yogic philosophy as propounded in the Vedas to that of the Chinese concept of Tao; Aspects of the nature of man; Aim of the ethical and social principles of the yogic philosophy; Importance of Vedic knowledge to the yogic philosophy.