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DNA Link Found Between Frozen Aboriginal Man and 17 Living People
The Globe and Mail is reporting that scientists claim to have found a DNA link between the frozen remains of an aboriginal man and 17 living people. "While the work on the human DNA project has opened new doors and work will continue on establishing a fuller family tree, Long Ago Person Found's descendants said they finally have the opportunity to give their ancestor a proper burial. Because his lineage had never been established, no memorial potlatch could be held. Of the 17 people linked through DNA, 15 self-identify with the Wolf Clan, meaning the young man was most likely Wolf as well."
Here's an article abstract.
For the lazy, they tested his mitochondrial DNA (he turned out to be a member of mtDNA haplogroup A), and compared that to a number of living people. None of the 17 matches are his direct descendants, but have a common matrilineal ancestry.
Well, given that the body's only 150-300 years old, and was found in a remote, sparsely-populated, and geographically isolated area, it's not really all that surprising that some sort of chain of ancestry was able to be established linking him to the present-day natives of that area.
In fact, I'd be more surprised if a link wasn't found.
-- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
"There castle" --->
(roll, roll, roll in ze hay)
I don't mind dating a girl that has been with everybody, as long as she had a good shower afterwards.
Because the summary didn't bother to explain what Wolf Clan....
This would be the Wolf Clan of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations in Yukon, Canada. Their traditional territory is about an hour and a half from Whitehorse, around Haines Junction. I live in Whitehorse but I'm not of this first nation. I believe they had strong trade ties with coastal first nations, I want to say Tlingit but I'm probably wrong.
It's an interesting discovery and an interesting moment for that first nation.
For a great many Aboriginal peoples, Clans or, in my language, Dodems [the source of the English word "Totemic"], are a very important part of family relationships and identity. I am Bear Dodem - that's what my screen name here at SlashDot means, "Bear." I can understand how people who don't know very much about Indigenous traditions - and the beauty which we have with the enduring wisdom of our ancient legacy - might think that our sacred relationships with wolves and bears and eagles... and lots of other animals... are HaHaHa funny. To us, they are sacred. If you'd like to read more, several years ago my (now-deceased) husband, Wub-e-ke-niew, wrote an article explaining some of our culture and its value for us. It's online at http://www.maquah.net/AhnishinahbaeotjibwayReflections/1996/1996-02-11_Ahnishinahaeotjibway_Dodems.html
The irony is that one of them is Kevin Bacon!