Researchers have used DNA from two archaeological excavations to identify the Ohlone’s genetic signature and link ancient individuals—some buried nearly 2000 years ago—to their modern-day descendants.
When Spanish priests arrived in what is now California almost 250 years ago, they established a string of missions stretching from San Diego to the hills north of San Francisco—all built by forced Indigenous labor. Tens of thousands of Native Americans died from disease, malnourishment, and maltreatment during the mission period, which lasted until the 1830s.
But the Ohlone survived. Today, the tribe has about 500 members. Since 1989, they have been fighting for federal recognition, using genealogy to trace their family histories back to the Spanish mission period and legal documentation to show a long history of tribal presence in the Bay Area. Based on the sites’ locations, California authorities recognized the Muwekma Ohlone, a modern group claiming descent from the Ohlone who once lived in the area, as the most likely descendant community. During the excavations, it was members of the tribe who handled most of the human remains.
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