Category Archives: NAGPRA

Honoring Ancestors

  My heritage—in addition to being a North American native–is English, French, Osage and Lakota. Turns out, I know more about my Indian ancestors than my English or French relatives. It’s not because my relatives kept good records: they didn’t. … Continue reading

Posted in american, american indian, authenticity, NAGPRA, Naia, national native american history month, native american, Native American Heritage Month, native press, Native Science, nativescience, pine ridge, Plains Indians: Artists of Earth and Sky, zen | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Powerful Lessons from Indian Country

  Infusing Indian Thought in Social Theories I teach a course for college sophomores on social theories and how they relate to my field: communication. Writers who set the stage for Western thought—lots of French, German, British, Italian and American … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, Kennewick Man, Kennewickman, NAGPRA, native american, native press, Native Science, nativescience | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Landmark Judgment Returns Bones to Tribes

California Kumeyaay Win the Dispute  The US Supreme Court has declined to weigh in on a lower court ruling that will, in effect, allow ancient bones to be returned to American Indians in California. The judgment means a landmark legal decision … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, Indian remains, NAGPRA, native press, Native Science | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kennewick Man’s back in the news

But it’s the same old story A science writer called me with a head’s up. The Journal Nature was ready to release news that scientists would soon announce the 9200-year-old skeleton from the Pacific Northwest was indeed related to modern-day … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, Kennewick Man, NAGPRA | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why American Indians don’t have rights

The issue of “rights” in North America entered into conversation when I saw this week that—after 38 years—a judge ruled two ancient skeletons could be given to a California tribe for reburial. Unlike Kennewick Man—which has yet to be returned—a … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, framing, Indian, Indian remains, journalism, NAGPRA, Native Science, science, science communication, SKeleton, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , | 1 Comment

You name it, you own it

When a 9200-year-old skeleton was uncovered along the Columbia River in 1996 scientists and journalists dubbed the ancestor Kennewick Man. Local tribes bristled at the naming, preferring to call the skeleton The Ancient One, or Oyt.pa.ma.na.tit.tite, according to scholar David … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, framing, human origin, Indian, James Chatters, Kennewick Man, NAGPRA, Naia, native american, native press, Native Science, rhetoric, science, science communication | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

About face on Kennewick Man

Turns out American Indians were right all along. A bitter conflict of values, race, sovereignty and politics began two decades ago when a pair of Washington State college students unearthed a skeleton in the Columbia River. Local Indian tribes wanted … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, human origin, Indian, Kennewick Man, NAGPRA, native american, native press, Native Science, race, science, science communication | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Manufactroversy

Here’s a word to stitch into your vocabulary pocket. Manufactroversy. The word means a manufactured controversy. And what an elegant word to share with my propaganda, persuasion and framing students.

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, framing, human origin, Indian, journalism, Kennewick Man, Lakota, NAGPRA, Native Science, neuroscience, risk, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

When words aren’t what they seem

How fortuitous that Native American Heritage Month comes at a time when I’ve been invited to write a book chapter about my work in Native Science. Below I’ve woven together words that describe what I do for the book’s editors … Continue reading

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, framing, human origin, Indian, Kennewick Man, NAGPRA, native american, Native Science, neuroscience, repatriation, salmon, science, science communication | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Science or Religion?

My talk this past weekend at Lincoln City gave me a chance to put my promise into action: Encourage folks to view events through a Native American lens. As part of Native American Heritage Month I was asked to talk … Continue reading

Posted in authenticity, ethics, framing, human origin, Indian, journalism, Kennewick Man, NAGPRA, Native Science, news bias, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments