Recently, an email was sent out informing its members that there had been another update on 23andme. I was pleasantly surprised, especially since this had to do with genetic groups in Africa! I was excited to see if any of my own DNA (or that of my family) would be categorized into new African groups, especially seeing as how my African DNA was introduced through slavery into my family and thus many of my ancestors came from unknown countries. This could potentially provide me some insight into the people(s) and countries my ancestors were tied to. Let’s take a look at some of my and my family’s results.
Checking out my own DNA profile, I saw that my Nigerian DNA was assigned to the Igbo people and I was assigned the country of Senegal under my Senegambian & Guinean DNA. This was exciting to see because it gives my research some direction, especially when it comes to better understanding my DNA inherited from my ancestors from Guadeloupe and Martinique. And even more granularly – my 11th chromosome which has Nigerian DNA. It would be amazing to one day in the future find where my ancestors came from in modern-day Nigeria and Senegal and be able to travel to these regions.
Similarly, looking at my other tested family members I was able to see that other groups were assigned to them as well. For example, my maternal great-uncle was assigned Senegambian & Guinean DNA attached to the Wolof, Wolof, Fula, Hausa, and Mandinka people. Also assigned to him were the countries of Guinea and Gambia.
What’s interesting is that my maternal grandmother, his sister, was not assigned any of these groups. Another sister was assigned Cameroon under West Africa and another sister was also assigned Cameroon, Guinea, and the West Coast region of Gambia.
The Future of African DNA
Honestly, I imagine a lot can still be done with this area of genetic genealogy. There are many diasporic peoples out there and I wonder how history can be better understood through these DNA tests. I know that already some studies have been done looking at DNA from African descendant people in the New World to better understand forced migration waves into various countries in the Americas. Being assigned a group like Igbo allows me to identify and connect with a modern people and country in Africa that previously I was unaware I had any connection to. Will I go around saying now that I am Igbo? No… but it helps me to better understand the struggle of my ancestors and the people that worked against all odds for me to be here. Though I am not able to personally name these ancestors yet, I am able to understand a bit better their background and the modern-day people that are connected with.
Great insight