FAMILY RESEMBLANCE

Sitting Bull’s Living Great-Grandson Identified by DNA Match in Ancient Hair

“Over the years, many people have tried to question the relationship that I and my sisters have to Sitting Bull,” Ernie Lapointe said.

A man claiming to be the great-grandson of Sitting Bull has been proved right by DNA taken from the legendary Native American leader’s hair. A peer-reviewed study from the University of Cambridge concluded that Ernie Lapointe was descended from the leader of the Lakota Sioux, who died in 1890, via analysis of “autosomal DNA” in genetic fragments, a new technique never before used to trace relationships between historical figures and living people. Cambridge professor and author of the study Eske Willerslev said, “We managed to locate sufficient amounts of autosomal DNA in Sitting Bull’s hair sample, and compare it to the DNA sample from Ernie Lapointe and other Lakota Sioux—and were delighted to find that it matched.” Scientists analyzed a lock of hair from Sitting Bull’s scalp. Lapointe said, “Over the years, many people have tried to question the relationship that I and my sisters have to Sitting Bull.”