Arriving Europeans plundered Australia for human bones to show in their museums. They took skeletal remains of thousands of Aboriginals. Not surprising the descendants of the deceased Australians want to bury them in this country.
Because most "specimens" were taken over recent centuries, the DNA in them is still detectable. Tests are being done to compare DNA from bones with Aboriginals living today in order to find matches. The work is being done by Griffith University in Queensland.
Though only a few matchups have been done in the world - remains were returned to North American Indians using the method - native people are interested in doing it. Tapij Wales an elder of the Thanynakwith people in Cape York requested tests be done.
The main problem is that many claiming Aboriginality today have a mix of European and Aboriginal genes. Moreover, many natives were removed by European settlers to other regions. The arrival of new settlers was a violent period in Australia's history.
DNA samples for 27 Aboriginal ancestors were taken. The oldest was 1540 years old. The places of origin of the remains were known. Mitochondrial genomes passed down through the mother gave vague results. The nuclear genomes testing proved much better. They could reliably be matched with regional Aboriginals extant today.
The main problem is that many claiming Aboriginality today have a mix of European and Aboriginal genes. Moreover, many natives were removed by European settlers to other regions. The arrival of new settlers was a violent period in Australia's history.
DNA samples for 27 Aboriginal ancestors were taken. The oldest was 1540 years old. The places of origin of the remains were known. Mitochondrial genomes passed down through the mother gave vague results. The nuclear genomes testing proved much better. They could reliably be matched with regional Aboriginals extant today.
◆ ANTHROPOLOGY ◆
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