Our creation stories and languages carry information about our genealogy and ancestors. We don’t need genetic testing to tell us where we come from.

We will not stand by while our ancestors are desecrated in the name of scientific discovery.

-- Marla Big Boy

I'm not sure I needed to stumble onto crackpot racial theories after last night's film. But this is my blog, and I must write it no matter what direction it takes me.

Anyway, both opponents of genetic research and of human evolution may have found new allies! There's a movement dedicated to opposing a thing called "Biocolonialism," and the organizers are hopping mad about plans by some people (racists, of course) to analyze the genes of others (described as "indigenous"):

(Nixon, NV) The Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism (IPCB) is alarmed at the launching of new global genetic research project that will focus on the collection of Indigenous peoples DNA. The National Geographic Society and the IBM Corporation announced the launch of the Genographic Project today that purports to “help people better understand their ancient history.” The project, funded by the Waitt Family Foundation, expects to collect 100,000 DNA samples from Indigenous peoples around the world. The taking of samples will be coordinated by ten worldwide regional research centers. With centers in Australia, Brazil, North America and Southeast Asia, Sub-Sahara and South Africa, this project is certain to affect many Indigenous peoples around the world.

The IPCB is calling on all Indigenous peoples, and our friends and colleagues to join in an international boycott of IBM, Gateway Computers (the source of the Waitt family fortune), and National Geographic until it’s demand that this project be abandoned are met. Harry said, “We are prepared to stop projects that treat us as scientific curiosities. We must act to protect our most vulnerable communities from this unwanted intrusion. We resisted the HGDP, and we will defeat this proposal as well.”

Groups and individuals can choose to participate in the project or not. It's a collaborative process. Consent has to be given at an individual level and a group level. We're not going to wander into a village and start poking people in the arm and collect samples. We will explain what will be done with samples and what the information could be when it comes back from the lab. I think if those involved in (the Indigenous Peoples Council) really understood what we're trying to do, they would not object to it, even if they might choose not to participate.

Noting the project’s goal to map the migratory history of humankind through DNA, Marla Big Boy, a Lakota attorney on IPCB’s board, says, “Our creation stories and languages carry information about our genealogy and ancestors. We don’t need genetic testing to tell us where we come from.” Big Boy notes with concern that the project proposes to do studies on ancient DNA. “We will not stand by while our ancestors are desecrated in the name of scientific discovery.”

Obviously, it's in the interest of a lot of political hacks to cover up any evidence of human migration or the common origins of people. Because next thing you know, the genetics scholars will be followed by philosophical hair splitters asking basic questions. They might even ask what the word "indigenous" means if at Some Point, we've all migrated from Somewhere to Somewhere Else.

That would be bad. Someone might lose Big Funding. From Someone Else.

Personally, I think Biopiracy reparations should be paid for corn! And potatoes.

(Without any setoff for damage caused by tobacco!)

UPDATE: Aztlan.net (a longtime favorite of this blog) claims that recent DNA testing shows that Ward Churchill is definitely an Indian!

The laboratory that performed the tests on Professor Churchill's genetic material specializes on American Indian "Gene Genealogy" and has one of the most extensive Native American mtDNA and y-chromosome databases. The human race consists of approximately 30 major maternal lineages (haplogroups) and Native Americans belong to one of five major maternal lineages (haplogroups). Also, the human population consists of approximately 18 major paternal lineages (haplogroups) and Native Americans belong to one of two major paternal lineages (haplogroups).

The genetic test results of Professor Ward Churchill show that he is a descendant of Creeks through his father and of Cherokees through his mother. A copy of the test results was forwarded to La Voz de Aztlan under conditions of confidentiality. Because of credible death threats to an east coast college where Professor Churchill was scheduled to speak, it was requested that the name of the genetic laboratory not be released.