The field of paleogenomics is exploding. More ancient genomes were sequenced in 2019 than in all of history. According to The Economist, in 2018, oil was the most traded global commodity. However, in 2021, the demand for oil was surpassed by the demand for data itself, including digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources. Despite this enthusiasm for paleogenomic insights to inform our understanding of human history and demand for DSI, the amount of human remains on planet earth is finite and sequencing can result in their permanent destruction.

Self-determination and tribal sovereignty are core concepts in the lives and histories of Indigenous Peoples. Within the United States, the peoples of the American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are recognized as both a racial group and a political entity. As of April 2021, the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs federally recognizes 574 tribes as Indian entities that are eligible to receive services from the United States. The U.S.