An anthropologist from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History told tribal leaders that Kennewick Man, whose remains date back 9,500 years, was not Native American, The Seattle Times reports.

Doug Owsley said his research shows that Kennewick Man was similar to Asian Coastal people. "There is not any clear genetic relationship to Native American peoples," he told tribal leaders at a meeting yesterday, the Times reported.

Owsley also said Kennewick Man's diet was not similar to that of tribes currently in Northwest. "This is a man from the coast, not a man from here," he told tribes.

Kennewick Man was discovered on federal land in Washington that used to be a part of the Umatilla Reservation. Tribes sought to rebury him under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act but the courts ruled that the remains were too old to be covered by the law.

Tribal leaders are still hopeful that they will be able to rebury Kennewick Man, known as Techaminsh Oytpamanatityt, or Ancient One, in the Yakama language.

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Kennewick Man bones not from Columbia Valley, scientist tells tribes (The Seattle Times 10/10)