The descendants who have been most publicly involved in the skull controversy — Harlyn Geronimo and his family — are members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe in New Mexico.

The San Carlos Apache, from whom Ned Anderson came, are a separate Apache tribe.

The Fort Sill Apache Tribe has its own interest in the matter.

This complexity is not unusual in NAGPRA cases involving very old remains; the question of which contemporary tribal community is most closely affiliated with specific historical individuals often requires careful genealogical and historical analysis.

Apache Spiritual Perspectives On Remains