Please read my latest: "Discovering My African Roots" + comment in the comment box found by scrolling on the bottom of the following URL.
http://www.asianweek.com/2008/12/09/blasian-perspective-discovering-my-african-roots/
Take Care,
Sam
Blasian Perspective: Discovering My African RootsDecember 9, 2008
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Are Asians descended from the African continent? While many side with historians who believe that civilization started in Europe or China, I have believed the answer to the above question to be an emphatic yes since reading The Destruction of African Civilization by Chancellor Williams and The African Presence in Early Asia by Runoko Rashidie and Ivan Van Sertima.
But recently, thanks to another virtual breakthrough called DNA technology, my beliefs have been reinforced. And made quite personal.
Last month, my brother Max had his DNA analyzed via a Web site call Familytreedna.com, and results showed his DNA belongs to the chromosome group known as Halogroup 03 Y. To refresh your memory from biology class, DNA is an organic substance that encodes and carries genetic information and is the fundamental element of heredity; thus, the most accurate genetic indicator of whether we are related to someone else. The thousands of genes that make up each chromosome are composed of deoxyribonucleic acid.
The results also indicated that my family originated in Africa, then migrated to the Middle East, then China and consequently the Philippines. Because matching DNA results are posted in Familytreedna.com, my brother and sister-in-law have been able to learn the surnames and respective countries of people around the world who have the same DNA results - relatives we’ve never known. Could the day that many Asian families discover their African relatives and ancestors - and vice versa - soon come to pass?
At this point in time, Familytreedna.com’s database contains over 200,000 people. Eventually, when it quadruples in size and includes more testers who are of African descent, maybe I will verify that my African descendants are from Senegal, which is my conclusion based on some research. For now, I can try to discover this by communicating with the persons from Hawai‘i, China, Russia and other parts of the world who belong to the same chromosome group as the Cacas family.
Last month, the New York Post reported that “the latest social networking is not on Facebook or MySpace. It’s happening at DNA-testing parties across the city. Rather than getting trashed at bars, New Yorkers are swabbing their cheeks en masse at house parties and then sending saliva sample back to labs to help trace their ancestors.” With online DNA projects like Familytreedna.com, I can see how FaceBook, MySpace and all those discussion groups on Yahoo may have met their match.
Sam Cacas, author of BlAsian Exchanges, a novel blogs frequently at at blasianexchangesanvoel.blogspot.com and beyondborders.asianweek.com.
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4 comments:
I've checked the DNA results plus the map version of them. So here is the sequence of my families' evolution on this planet: 1. the African country of Tanzania the Kenya; 2. then the Middle East; 3. then China and other parts of Asia then the Philippines; 4. then the U.S.
As I said in the Asian Week article, this high-tech DNA genealogy stuff seems more self-fulfilling than anything else on the net including the BlAsian discussion groups I'ver been involved with for the last several years where folks ask the same lame-ass negative questions like 'why don't Asian men show their attraction for Black women who show our attraction for Asian men?' What makes such rhetorical questions lame has bourne out when an Asian man says on the same thread that he is interested in getting involved with a Black woman only to be told by a BW crap like 'Damn, see there's no older AM for us older BW.' What a dis - not to mention disconnect since such threads never stated a specific age preference and btw neither did the AM who responded. Yes, I've seen too many of such lame threads and as of a month 'n a day previous I am sworn to not posting on the BlAsian boards where I've been a voluminous / heady presence on the last six+ years. The DNA genealogy boards will now get my written thoughts. Any opinions on this?
I think DNA ancestry testing is important for one's health and families' evolution. Maybe one day everyone will want or need to be tested in order to cure a disease or find a organ donor if necessary. Also, I think more people should know about their ancestry to conect with families members they may have lost contact with.
This is a fascinating post you have written! My husband who is half Russian (Jewish - mother) and half Filipino - (father) told me recently that he is very interested in having his DNA tested. He is keenly aware of his own African roots. He became more aware when his sister married an Algerian man and now that we've married as well. I agree with you Dora that it is something that everyone should have done.
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