http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0603/feature2/index.html
Following DNA markers and Y chromosomes scientists have been able to show that modern humans originated in Africa; specifically Ethiopia (Jah Rastafarii!). First central Asia, i.e. Afghanistan, then from that area Europe and Asia, and from Siberia finally, the Americas, were populated by the gradual movements of people pushed further up rivers and along coasts by the growth of their own populations and cultures.
In other words, traditionally scientist have always postulated that that most human of activities, war, was why humans migrated and populated new areas. Whereas this is new evidence that it had more to do with peaceful movements motivated by the search for new hunting grounds and new living space.
Here's the kicker: While none of us carry the exact same genetics, there are patterns: i.e. all white people have certain genes in common, all people of Celtic descent have certain genes in common, all people descended from Brittany in France have certain genes in common. This means that there was a certain person who originated that genetic mutation, who is the grandfather of all Brittany Celts, for example. Well, it seems there was a primordial Eve in East Africa, a woman who had a genetic marker we all share. And roughly a thousand years later, there was a primordial Adam, again with a certain mutation that ended up in all of us.
What I find fascinating about this is that, beyond the obvious and very final refuting of certain racist rhetoric, it would seem to also be sobering news indeed for Nationalists. How can someone cling proudly, for example, to being Irish, with the knowledge that first of all, Celts were almost identical to the Italic and Greco peoples who eventually became Greeks and Romans, and furthermore these Indo Europeans were at one point barely much different from the other Indo Europeans, the Slavs and Indians and Armenians and Persians and Germans, and furthermore all these Indo Europeans were at one point split off genetically from the non-nondescript people who originally left Africa. And other splits went the other way and became Mongols and walked across the land-bridge to the Americas.
In other words, the only true differences between us are purely cultural, and cultural differences are arbitrary: you wear pants, I wear a kilt, you play drums and dance naked, I worship my ancestors, he eats cow eyeballs, she loves democracy, they love hockey, we drink milk.
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When I was in my teens, I searched and searched for my "heritage"...something that could help explain me and give me a sense of belonging (I had grown up moving around a lot). The natural starting point was my last name. Scotch-Irish in its origins, I found that a relative of mine had traced the name to the first immigrant to the United States in 1725. I had a book that showed my entire lineage...who knocked up who etc...all the way down to me, the only son of the only son of my Grandfather who also bears the name. Quite messianic to a teenager. But I was forced to notice how much dilution there was in the blood of my veins. That I was actually less Scotch-Irish than I was Cherokee, thanks to my great grandmother who was 100% Native American. So I am a product of the great melting pot of the United States. Less Grand, but at least its the truth. Its nice to know that there is a scientific basis for a truth Ive long held on to...that although we are a sum of our parts, the children of our parents and their parents (etc.), and a product of our environment, at our base level, we are more alike than we care to admit...and uniquely ourselves. Perhaps that is why I always question the arbitrary nature of nationalism...or even entitlement for that matter. What makes someone believe that they "deserve" something more than someone else just because of where or how they were born. Because, given any other circumstances, roles could be completely reversed.
Agreed. I was brought up enjoying the Cheiftans, stories about Micheal Collins, later Guinness, and it all had some appeal related to the fact that it was WHO WE WERE. Then gradually I learned things about our family line: my grandfather Brady is half Miqmaq becasue of his mother Annie Hubley, his wife , a Livingston, is full Northern Protestant Scotch Irish, my grandfather Martin is half Dutch, because his mother, a Kashjaeger, and his wife, a Robins, is of Welsh descent, and most probably also has Native blood.
Eirin go Bragh!
It's sick to be part of the melting pot, I would love to know that I was part of an inter-ratial mixture of nationalities and ethnicity's... but oh wait, I am. Native american, Irish, Scottish, Dutch, and the lot... it's awesome, I love being a melange of origins. But that's kinda what's fun, which one do I identify with the most, just as you owe it to your family to be more loyal to them than to others, I feel you owe it to your relatives to be loyal than others. Just one of those inexplicable things...
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