Scientists Fight University of California to Study Rare Ancient Skeletons

"Like the oak tree, we were always here." The Kumeyaay believe they were the original inhabitants of Southern California, because their creation story tells them they were.  Even if they were not specially created there, the Kumeyaay still advocate that they were the first who originally settled there.  Archeologists have only been able to date their civilization to 7,000 years ago (5000 B.C.), but they claim,

"The Archaeological record is consistently being pushed back, our roots are lost in the mist, waiting to be discovered."

Believing their civilization to be at least 12,000 years old (10,000 B.C.), they claim that every single Pre-Columbian human remain in Southern California is their ancestor.[1][2]  In 1976, during construction on the home of the University of California Chancellor, two skeletons were unearthed.  These skeletons were dated using radio-carbon dating to between 9600-9000 years old.  These are considered to be the oldest skeletons found on North America.  Now notice the Kumeyaay rationalization:  9600-9000 years old and their civilization is 12,000 years old, therefore these skeletons are from the Kumeyaay tribes.  They have been attempting to use the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act(NAGPRA) to claim the remains.[3][4]