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.

The DNA testing journey begins... Part 1

So this year for my birthday, my fiance' and I were supposed to take a road trip to New Orleans to attend my graduation. (I received my master's of science in information systems and technology management.) However, the weather had other plans for us. It decided to storm and flood, and both my state and Louisiana were quite dangerous as far as roads were concerned. Seeing as how I didn't feel the need to unnecessarily fight for my life, I decided that I did not want to go.

My fiance' felt it was a huge accomplishment and that I should receive or do something else to celebrate. I on the other hand, felt we should just save money for our impending wedding in July and another trip that I would need to take before that. He kept insisting though that we would be fine financially, and that he really wanted to do something special for my accomplishment.

 I couldn't think of anything at first, but then an old idea popped back into the forefront of my thinking from my subconscious. I had always wanted to do a DNA test and see what I'm mixed with. Beyond being black and in America, I had no idea. Sure, many that look like me know that we are most likely descended from slaves and that we are majority African being how brown-skinned and nappy headed we are. If we have learned even a little bit about the history of slavery in the United States, then we also figure that we are most likely from West Africa. Hey, every little bit of helps. Africa is a big place, so that does narrow it down a little.

Outside of that, I was clueless. I was fortunate enough to have my great-grandmother assist in my upbringing, and most of the joys of my childhood come from that experience. However, she never really talked much about her childhood or where we come from. I figure either she didn't know a whole lot herself, or it was a hard life that brought up difficult memories. I now think the answer is a combination of both.

Taking the Tests and Waiting...and Waiting...and Waiting...

Anyhow, my fiance' and I set out to take some DNA tests. (Of course he wasn't willing to let me have this much fun alone!) With very little knowledge and a whole lot of excitement, we chose to take the admixture tests from Ancestry.com. We also chose to take the matriclan and patriclan tests from AfricanAncestry.com.

We ordered the AfricanAncestry.com test kits on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. On Saturday, I took the matriclan test from AfricanAncestry.com and I had my brother take their patriclan test the next day. I mailed them off on Monday, March 14, 2016.

 We ordered the Ancestry.com test on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. The test kits arrived on Monday, March 15, 2016. The next day, my fiance' mailed our kits off. In my online account, I received notice that my kit had been received on March 18, 2016.

That's when the wait began. I learned that I'm even more impatient than I thought I was (and I already thought that I was very impatient). This mess was as hard as waiting nine months for my babies to be born when I was pregnant! In the meantime, I watched youtube videos to pass the time. Here are some of my favorites if you are interested. I'm not one to write a whole lot at one time, so enjoy these vids, and I'll be back later to finish my story.

This family was a lot of fun. When the one brother couldn't accept the results and declared that he was from Ancient Egypt and his great-great-great-great-great-great...grand-daddy was the Sphinx...I promise I think I died.



This sister is hilarious. It was just a fun video to watch.



WHY - out of all of those ethnicities with much higher percentages that he has in him - does George Lopez decide that he's black? No one knows, but it is funny. Mariah Carey wasn't in her best form. In fact, she was quite irritating. I wish she had been much more quiet.



So who is blacker - Snoop Dogg or Charles Barkley? They are too funny.





 Until next time...