A fascinating study of human history as told though our own genetic background is currently taking place. National Geographic and IBM are together doing a study that may tell our own story in a way never thought possible. The study is about the growth and movement of the human populations over the four corners of the world from its earliest beginnings. And you can help.
The Genographic Project, has been studying the DNA from small remnants of people whose families have remained in certain spots for thousands of years. Some of these local populations have a genetic trail from the earliest humans as DNA traits are passed from generation to generation. It appears the earliest humans may have been located in what is now Namibia. Based upon the movement of certain DNA characteristics found in people in other geographic regions, likely instigated as drought forced early Africans to begin migrating around 50,000 years ago, the trails of humans around the globe can be determined. By looking for these characteristics in indigenous peoples at other spots on the planet and where they fall in the DNA timeline, scientists have been able to follow the migration of the earliest explorers as they left Africa, followed the coastline through the Mideast, to India, and then Australia. Others split from the group and went to Central Asia, where they eventually moved to Europe, China, and Siberia. About 15,000 years ago, likely following their herds of animals during the ice age, scientists learned that they then crossed into Alaska before flourishing in the fertile warm climates of the Americas.
It's an incredible study that has urgency as the remnants of these indigenous ancestors face the prospect of entering our migratory society, making the effort to find the genetic needles in the "haystack" more challenging.
You can find your own family's genetic history by participating. By contacting NG on their website, you can discreetly send in your own DNA and find out the historical path of your family tree. You can find out where your various ancestors came from, possibly going back as far as to the Kalahari... Now you can learn why you have this deep-seeded desire to return to the mother land and the game trails of Africa. At least by learning this, when someone ask you why you so love African adventures, you can now say you're going to visit relatives!

COOL!

Thanks Spring. That was a great read.

Cheers,
Canuck

Canuck,
I am looking forward to seeing how this thing works out. I received the package of info from National Geographic a couple of weeks ago and sent in my DNA samples (you swab the inside of your cheek) last week. They say that the more participants that they receive over time the more your info and results might show as they chart and subsequently update your heritage. No doubt most of mine will go straight back to England and then on to something before that, but most every family has a black sheep in the mix somewhere (which my wife would say shows up frequently in me!) and who knows what else will show up from eons past. They say it takes about 4 weeks to get your results, which you find by using the code that was assigned to your nameless submission. I think I'm looking forward to it!

Spring,
It seems that I'll go home on 22 of June

I knew I felt at home while hunting there. Does this mean if they start some kind of land redistribution process in Namibia that I need to stake my claim? After all, my ancestors were obviously displaced from there.

Well,

$99.00 will just about cover my Oregon bird and fish licenses. I hate to turn my back on my Genography, but I feel a more immediate need to go Chukar partridge hunting.

lawndart

So you send in your money and get a picture of your ancestors?

Here's one for free:


Seriously though, it is a cool project. Please tell us how it went when you hear back from them.

Erik

There is a remarkable resemblance to someone we know in that photo.

This is why most D.G. "charge". They realy want to take a better look at the "big white monkey" Charlie

Thanks Spring. Next time my wife mentions the cost of my trip at the end of the month I can just tell her I'm going to a family reunion.

quote:

So you send in your money and get a picture of your ancestors?

Here's one for free:


Seriously though, it is a cool project. Please tell us how it went when you hear back from them.

Erik

Erik, that's actually a picture of my wife's side of the family.


George

quote:

Originally posted by Jorge400:

Erik, that's actually a picture of my wife's side of the family.


George

We must be related then! It's a picture of my mother and father in law!

If I'm from Namibia, can I hunt as a resident?

Okie John