OT:Ancestral DNA (was Smudging w/ Herbs & some OT: Ceremonies)

[Guest guest]

....some of the information floating around out there about this topic...

 

 

For the full article, see http://www.manataka.org/page267.html :

 

<< Scientists have found . " markers " in human genes that they call Native

American markers because they believe all " original " Native Americans had these

genetic traits . On the mitochondrial DNA, there are a total of five different

" haplotypes " . which are increasingly called " Native American markers, " and are

believed to be a genetic signature of the founding ancestors. As for the

Y-chromosome, there are two primary lineages or " haplogroups " that are seen in

modern Native American groups

 

IPCB (Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism ) points out that " Native

American markers " are not found solely among Native Americans. While they occur

more frequently among Native Americans they are also found in people in other

parts of the world.

 

A second problem with tying markers to Native American identity is that

mitochondrial DNA and Y marker testing show only one line of ancestry each.

Therefore, Native American ancestors on other lines are invisible.

 

 

 

IPCB addresses a third crucial problem with DNA testing for identity: Genetics

cannot help determine specific tribal affiliations for living people or ancient

human remains. This is because " [n]eighboring tribes have long-standing complex

relationships involving intermarriage, raiding, adoption, splitting and joining.

These social historical forces insure that there cannot be any clear-cut genetic

variants differentiating all the members of one tribe from those of nearby

tribes. "

 

So " Native American markers " can tell something about an individual's biological

descendancy along a few ancestral lines over archaeological time. But how does

this inform tribal enrollment? Many individuals around the world no doubt

possess markers and yet have no close biological, social or cultural attachment

to a living tribe. In contrast, individuals with strong connections might not

have the markers because their American Indian ancestors are not on the lines of

descendancy covered by the tests. DNA testing fails to provide definitive

answers on either biological or cultural connections to a tribe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full article can be found at http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3077132/ :

 

<< African Ancestry offers two types of DNA tests and says it can usually trace

at least one family bloodline to specific geographic areas on the African

continent.

It has compiled a DNA database of 10,000 people representing 85 ethnic groups

from Africa. Each of those groups have telltale genetic markers not found in

other people. Those markers were passed on generationally and appear in African

Americans' cells today.

 

The company's most common test tracks mitochondrial DNA, a strand of genetic

material found outside the cell nucleus and apart from regular genes. >>

 

<< " What worries me most is people overselling the technology, " said Hank

Greely, a Stanford University law professor and bioethicist. " I don't think it

can accurately give people (all) the details they want. "

 

Greely said results showing just one-sixteenth of one's heritage can be

misleading. What if the other fifteen-sixteenths are completely different? >>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

-

Brian Jacobs

 

10/5/04 10:08:56 AM

OT:Ancestral DNA (was Re: Smudging w/ Herbs & some OT:

Ceremonies)

 

 

>>...some of the information floating around out there about this topic...

 

For the full article, see http://www.manataka.org/page267.html :

 

A second problem with tying markers to Native American identity is that

mitochondrial DNA and Y marker testing show only one line of ancestry each.

Therefore, Native American ancestors on other lines are invisible.<<

Uh-huh! That would be me--it's my father who is Native American; not Mom.

 

 

Full article can be found at http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3077132/ :

 

<< African Ancestry offers two types of DNA tests and says it can usually trace

at least one family bloodline to specific geographic areas on the African

continent.

It has compiled a DNA database of 10,000 people representing 85 ethnic groups

from Africa. Each of those groups have telltale genetic markers not found in

other people. Those markers were passed on generationally and appear in African

Americans' cells today.

 

The company's most common test tracks mitochondrial DNA, a strand of genetic

material found outside the cell nucleus and apart from regular genes. >>

 

<< " What worries me most is people overselling the technology, " said Hank

Greely, a Stanford University law professor and bioethicist. " I don't think it

can accurately give people (all) the details they want. "

 

Greely said results showing just one-sixteenth of one's heritage can be

misleading. What if the other fifteen-sixteenths are completely different? >>

 

Thank you for providing the info on these articles. This is really interesting

stuff (especially since I wanted to go into cytogenetics--doing karyotypes

scarred me off!!)This is exactly the kind of knot these people are running into

trying to trace ancestry through DNA. I think they are taking advantage of

people big-time. Most people know that DNA is your personal info code and it's

inherited through your ancestors. What most people don't realize is how lacking

in the specific detail they want to find that the code can be. Are they even

offering tests for the remaining 15/16? What good would it do to find out so

little? I don't know about the statistics of a sample pool but isn't 10,000

people rather small?

 

Better yet, I wonder how much these folks are charging for this 'test'?

Thanks again, Brian!

 

[Guest guest]

<< Better yet, I wonder how much these folks are charging for this 'test'?

Thanks again, Brian! >>

 

I think the tests run around $340. And I'm Jaime, not Brian ;O) I'm on Brian's

computer 'cause I'm too lazy to boot up mine when his is already running. Mine's

all the way across the room, after all <G>

 

I think the person who initally designed African Ancestry, Professor Kittles of

Howard University, started out with his heart in the right place. I believe he

sincerely wanted to provide his fellow African-Americans with links to their

ancestral homeland. Perhaps he has since been seduced by the power of the

marketplace or maybe the hype has simply gotten beyond his control. Either way,

the technology is still primitive enough that the company needs to fully

disclose the limited nature of its DNA search results. Maybe they do, and people

are just so hungry for any amount of knowledge as to not care. I'm sure that for

some, it's worth the $340 to find out a possible 1/16 of their bloodline.

 

jaime