Why do you have to know exactly where you came from?

**LBellatrix** · 05-30-2013, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by icetia

I always give a side-eye to people that criticize from the "outside". And yes, a person that knows their ancestry but questions why anyone else would want to know theirs is definitely commenting from the "outside".

Co-sign...and it's really a HUMAN thing to want to know where you come from if it's not super clear. The only people I know who aren't at least somewhat curious are those white Americans who call themselves "mutts" ("I'm German, Irish, Scandinavian, I don't even KNOW") and people who can certify that they're 100% ____. Adopted kids and adults often want to know about their bio-families, for example.

Of course we know that for those AAs who were descended from enslaved peoples, it's not accurate to call ourselves 100% anything (other than African-American, I guess). I've done quite a bit of genealogy on my mom's side of the family and then a few years back my parents got the DNA test done (it was from a company that only told you about your African heritage; my parents weren't interested in knowing about the non-African

). They couldn't conclusively establish what part of Africa my mom's ancestors were from but they were able to point to a couple of specific west African ethnic groups for my dad's people.

Now if I ever make it to that part of Africa, hell yeah I want to have an Alex Haley-style experience and meet my "people" if possible, but will it change how I live my daily life? Well, if my new cousins tell me that the reason why they don't have fibroids is because they've been using this herb for hundreds of years, best believe I'm going to get my supply

but other than that, not really. But to know that my true "roots" are in this place...yeah, that would be pretty cool.

**icetia** · 06-01-2013, 12:29 PM

Thank you for making the comparison to adopted children that long to know their birth parents! Perfect analogy.

How dope is it that you got a chance to do the African DNA test?! It's even cooler that your parents didn't care AT ALL about the non-African part

**LBellatrix** · 06-01-2013, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by icetia

Thank you for making the comparison to adopted children that long to know their birth parents! Perfect analogy.

I've got several adopted kids in my (immediate and extended) family...

How dope is it that you got a chance to do the African DNA test?! It's even cooler that your parents didn't care AT ALL about the non-African part

Girl listen...my parents were about as pro-black as you could get while raising their kids in an integrated suburb...

Because I've done a lot of my mother's genealogy, I know that there are several different branches and some of them are more "white" than others. I'm descended from one of the less-white branches. I remember when I was a kid I talked to some of the elders who were from the more-white branches -- and by "more white" I mean they could pass for white -- and they hated white folks like you would not BELIEVE. I was there in their living rooms, I heard them say it...which is why I find it ironic and more than a little sad that some of their descendants are trying to play up their more-white ancestry by creating some kind of alternate history. I'm still waiting for them to provide real proof that Massa really loved their great-great-grandmother and didn't just rape her...ain't seen it yet...

**Zenith1920** · 08-04-2011, 03:36 PM

I want to know...because it is still a part of me. Not that I will change the way I've been living...it would just feel good to know...who I'm a descendant of. Almost a year ago...my dad told me that I am a descendant of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. It felt good to know that...and I started to look things up about the Igbo people and history...for me. (I'm a knowledge seeker too..I love learning)
I am interested in knowing where my people have come from...because I am a part of the lost ones brought to America..without a choice. I believe in knowing about the history of my people...whether it is the ones...that were born here in America...or those born elsewhere.

I've known that my Maternal Great Grandmother was a Native American and Creole for a while..and even that I found interesting and wanted to know more.

All in all...it's because their blood runs through me too...and they make up parts of me...

...Peace&Love...

**NubianPrize** · 07-09-2013, 06:05 AM

Good answer !! My thoughts exactly

**mahsoul1** · 08-05-2011, 05:48 PM

How could this a real question is my question. *confused*

**Kaichi** · 12-05-2011, 12:45 AM

I'm very curious of my roots and really, who doesn't want to know where they come from? Who doesn't want to know who their past incestors were and what they did. It is absolutely fascinating. No, most people won't change their culture just to mirror their past culture, but what is so bad about just learning it?

Anyways, I'd rather people try to find their true roots than make believe their roots. There is a myth that African Americans are all a mix race people, but in truth that is farthest from it. Only 20-25% of us have european in us. Satistics say that only 1% of us have Native American. I never believe it when people tell me they are part native american. I've heard it so much that I can't help but think "prove it" every time. I find it interesting that many black americans who do take the test, expecting to find some native in them, find none at all. People think "oh, I'm pretty light skin, must have some Indian or white in me" or "my hair is so long, I must have some mixture some where." They don't realize that Africans are the most diverse-looking people in the world due to the fact that Africa is the birthplace of human beings. Igbos are a west african tribe known to have many light skin individuals( not all light skin). Many west africans have hair that reach way below their shoulders. Again, I wish that more African Americans were curious about their roots and study all things Africa.

Me, when I get the money, I will take a DNA test. All I know is my father is black american and my mother is haitian/bahamian.

**miamimichelle** · 05-25-2012, 06:31 PM

Interesting discussion!

@ Kaichi...around 60% of African Americans have some European ancestry, the average percentage is 20-25% European within that 60%.

@ cinnamonbiscuit…DANG, that’s messed up! My (half) sister and brother have about 25 siblings running around the city and don’t know even all of them. Their dad should have been castrated L

Personally, I don't feel a strong desireto have one of these tests done, but if a free one falls in my lap I'd probably do it. What people often miss is that when these tests come back saying your genes indicate Dinka or Igbo or whatever theydon't capture your full ancestry. It's just a fraction of your ancestry...your matrilineal or patrilineal line. So it’s your mother’s mother’s mother’s or father’s father’s father’s lineage. If you also have cousins/close relatives to test the picture gets a little fuller, but you'll never have a complete picture of "where you come from". It’s a partial picture.

I know I have a butterscotch complexion, high cheekbones and straight nose, kinky coils, full lips and a big ole azz, it doesn’t matter a bit to me how I got them.

The OP can take knowing her “roots” for granted where many of us living in the Diaspora cannot. This doesn’t affect my feeling of belonging, I don’t think finding out than one ancestor in hundreds was Fulani will help me come to terms with the experience of Blacks (and myself) in America…but I can respect those who do. Maybe my sense of belonging isn’t tied so much to race—or I take it for granted that I’m a Black American as a legitimate culture on its own. I agree with the OP in that we can/should participate in cultures that are not our own. I’ve never fully understood why people take African dance class or learn to speak Swahili as a way to “connect” to their roots. If you don’t know which culture/tribe/group you’re derived from isn’t it an artificial connection? Plus Swahili is an East African language…most North American Blacks have roots in E. Africa. Maybe something is better than nothing for some…I dunno. I dance salsa and I’m not a Latina purely because I enjoy it (though it is in part African-derived)

I wonder if other black folks in the Diaspora struggle with this as much as African Americans (which is not a term I use for myself) most folks I know will say “I’m British, but my family is Jamaican” or “I’m Brazilian”. Again interesting topic!

**miamimichelle** · 09-06-2012, 02:15 PM

Oops...I meant most Black Americans have roots in W. Africa, not E. Africa

**MzKinkz85** · 10-20-2012, 08:49 PM

My father is a native born Kenyan... I'm so proud. I love it when people asked me where my family is from when I say my name to them. I'm blessed. My mother was born in the states but I'm taking a test to see which part of Africa she is from. I'm a proud African and I love learning and celebrating my culture more and more everyday.