And it means that the extraordinary cultural complexity of the Northwest Coast — the elaborate art traditions, the sophisticated social organization, the ceremonial practices centered on the resources of the sea — developed over a time span vastly longer than was sometimes assumed in earlier anthropological discussions.

What the DNA Did Not Say

Precision in science requires being as careful about what evidence does not establish as about what it does.

The genomic findings from Shuká Káa’s analysis are significant, but they have specific limits that honest communication must acknowledge.

The genomic analysis established that Shuká Káa’s ancestry was related to the later peoples of the Northwest Coast — that there was genetic continuity between the ancient individual and the later populations of the region.

This is a genuine and meaningful finding.