Pinotti Thomaz, Adler Michael A, Mermejo Richard, Bitz-Thorsen Julie, McColl Hugh, Scorrano Gabriele, Feizabadifarahani Motahareh, Gandy Devlin, Boulanger Matthew, Gaunitz Charleen, Stenderup Jesper, Ramsøe Abigail, Korneliussen Thorfinn, Demeter Fabrice, Santos Fabrício R, Vinner Lasse, Sikora Martin, Meltzer David J, Moreno-Mayar J Víctor, Quanchello Craig, Willerslev Eske
Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Laboratório de Biodiversidade e Evolução Molecular (LBEM), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Nature. 2025 Apr 30. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-08791-9.
Indigenous groups often encounter significant challenges when asserting ancestral claims and cultural affiliations based on oral histories, particularly in the USA where such narratives have historically been undervalued. Although ancient DNA offers a tool to complement traditional knowledge and address gaps in oral history, longstanding disregard for Indigenous sovereignty and beliefs has understandably led many Indigenous communities to distrust DNA studies. Earlier research often focused on repatriation claims, whereas more recent work has increasingly moved towards enhancing Tribal histories. Here we present a collaborative study initiated by a federally recognized Native American tribe, the sovereign nation of Picuris Pueblo in the Northern Rio Grande region of New Mexico, USA, to address gaps in traditional knowledge and further their understanding of their population history and ancestry. We generated genomes from 16 ancient Picuris individuals and 13 present-day members of Picuris Pueblo, providing genomic data spanning the last millennium. We show genetic continuity between ancient and present-day Picuris, and more broadly with Ancestral Puebloans from Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, 275 km to the west. This suggests a firm spatiotemporal link among these Puebloan populations of the North American Southwest. Furthermore, we see no evidence of population decline before European arrival, and no Athabascan ancestry in individuals predating 1500 CE, challenging earlier migration hypotheses. This work prioritizes Indigenous control of genetic data and brings together oral tradition, archaeology, ethnography and genetics.
当基于口述历史主张祖传权利和文化归属时，原住民群体常常面临重大挑战，尤其是在美国，这类叙述在历史上一直被低估。尽管古代DNA提供了一种补充传统知识和填补口述历史空白的工具，但长期以来对原住民主权和信仰的漠视导致许多原住民社区理所当然地不信任DNA研究。早期研究往往侧重于遣返主张，而最近的工作越来越朝着强化部落历史的方向发展。在此，我们展示一项由美国联邦认可的美洲原住民部落——位于美国新墨西哥州北里奥格兰德地区的主权国家皮库里斯拉古纳部落发起的合作研究，旨在填补传统知识的空白，并进一步加深他们对其人口历史和祖先的理解。我们从16名古代皮库里斯拉古纳人个体和13名现今皮库里斯拉古纳部落成员中生成了基因组，提供了跨越过去一千年的基因组数据。我们展示了古代和现今皮库里斯拉古纳人之间的基因连续性，更广泛地说，与西部275公里外查科峡谷波尼托古村落的普韦布洛祖先之间也存在基因连续性。这表明北美西南部这些普韦布洛人群之间存在着稳固的时空联系。此外，我们没有发现欧洲人到来之前人口减少的证据，也没有在公元1500年之前的个体中发现阿萨巴斯卡人的血统，这对早期的迁徙假说提出了挑战。这项工作将遗传数据的控制权优先赋予原住民，并将口述传统、考古学、人种学和遗传学结合在一起。
