For others, it was primarily cultural — a validation of the matrilineal clan system and of the principle that the dead do not simply disappear but remain connected to the living through the specific form of kinship that their tradition recognizes.

For still others, it was primarily a matter of obligation — a reminder that the living have responsibilities to the dead that do not diminish with the passage of centuries.

The seventeen individuals are from communities across the broad area covered by the DNA study — Yukon, northwest British Columbia, and southeast Alaska.

They are, in cultural terms, members of communities that have been in this landscape for generations beyond counting.

They speak different languages or are connected to different language traditions.