My AfricanAncestry.com Experience

Here lately it's been a DNA/genealogy whirlwind. This stuff has really become a big part of my life in a good way. However, I do need to take a break from it- which I will do very soon. In the meantime, I'll try to fill in my thoughts on the additional DNA tests that I have taken with various vendors.

Today, I'll talk about my AfricanAncestry.com experience. First I will say that these tests are very expensive. Unless you specifically know the reason why you want these test, I wouldn't recommend you begin testing with this company. I took both the matriclan and the patriclan tests. To give a bit of background, the matriclan test analyzes the mitochondrial dna (mtDNA) that is passed mother to child for the last 500-2000 years. Men and women are able to take this test. The patriclan test analyzes the Y chromosome that is passed to men from father to son. Women cannot take this test because we do not have the Y chromosome. Since my brother and I share the same biological parents, I had him to take the patriclan test.

Back to what I was saying about having a specific reason for taking these tests...there are many other tests that will provide information about the countries that your ancestors are from, haplogroups, etc. and do so for much cheaper. African Ancestry actually tells you the people/ethnicity that your ancestors come from. In my mind...the matriclan and patriclan test results symbolize my connection with two of my ancestors that were most likely forced from Africa into America. These ancestors (and many of my other ancestors) endured many unspeakable hardships and are the reason that I have life today. While these tests are expensive, when compared to all that has been done on my behalf so that I could have life this very day - the costs of these tests are just pennies! While I do think that the government should provide these tests to African descendants of the enslaved since this country profited immeasurably off the "welfare" system built on the backs of our Ancestors, I won't hold my breath. I have am blessed with life and health today, and I think it is a small sacrifice to be able to know as much about my Ancestors as possible. Long story short, I had a very specific reason for wanting these tests!

These tests are a bit different from the ones at Ancestry.com. Instead of spitting in a tube, you use cotton swabs (q-tips) to collect DNA from your cheeks. When the results are processed, you are sent a packet by snail mail (postal service) that contains a letter with a few details in it and a certificate. Here are mine (and my brother's since our results are the same).

The African Ancestry results came in a thin booklet. This is what the cover looks like.

This is the letter that came with the African Ancestry matriclan test results. My mtDNA traces back to the Mende people of Sierra Leone in Africa.

This is the certificate that came with the African Ancestry matriclan test results.

This is the letter that came with the African Ancestry patriclan test results. My (brother's) yDNA traces back to the Fang people of Gabon in Africa.

This is the certificate that came with the African Ancestry patriclan test results.

And there you have it folks. I must tell you that these results give me great pride. My Ancestors were NOT slaves. They were enslaved. It is not our shame. It is the shame of the enslavers. As a descendant, I feel great honor in now knowing the cultures of the people that started the journey of me being here on American soil today. Separated, yes. But the broken circle is being pieced back together again.