Genetic analysis of modern descendants shows that sailors from the Pacific Islands arrived in the Americas long before Europeans arrived. The question is how long?
A recent study suggests Polynesians and Native Americans made contact some 800 years ago, well before Europeans arrived in North America.
The DNA testing of a member of the Blackfoot tribe in Montona, however, suggests a far earlier interaction. When Darrell “Dusty” Crawford had his DNA tested last year by CRI Genetics, the company traced his line back 55 generations with a 99 percent accuracy rate. The company has never been able to trace anyone’s ancestry in the Americas as far back as Crawford’s DNA, they told him.
Crawford’s DNA suggests his ancestors came from the Pacific, traveled to the coast of South America, and traveled north, according to CRI. He’s part of Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) Haplogroup B2, which CRI dated back about 17,000 years ago.
While Crawford is only one individual, researchers have noted that while B2 is one of five haplogroups found among the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the B2 haplogroup does not generally appear in Alaska or Canada, making it less likely that the B2 ancestors traveled across the Bering Sea landbridge.
On the other hand, Haplogroup B2 represents approximately 23% of the mtDNAs in South America. Also, the mtDNA most similar to American B2 has been found mainly in populations of southern China and Southeast Asia. If the B2 ancestors did not walk across the landbridge, did they sail to South America from across the Pacific?
Thanks to Roberta Weisbrod for contributing to this post.
There were no Polynesians in the Pacific 17,000 years ago. This is Heyerdahl thinking.
Joan – I don’t see where anyone is saying that there were Polynesians 17,000 years ago. The haplogroup B2 is thought to have originated in Asia ~17,000 years ago. The Nature article proposes a ~1200 CE contact between Polynesians and Native Americans. There were definitely Polynesians 800 years ago.
The term Polynesian is no doubt incorrect. There appear to be genetically related peoples in Asia and South America dating back at least 17,000 years. It appears likely that these peoples traveled across the Pacific as the Bering land bridge was blocked by glaciers during that time.
My grandmother on my mother’s side was 100 percent Blackfoot, that make me one quarter Blackfoot. My skin tone and high cheekbones show it.
No, I won’t search my DNA.
No matter what they claim, someone will always get in and find the data. Same with hair donations, they want your name! My hair is almost to my waist now, but I’d rather shave my head at home and burn my hair than give it to the Government for DNA testing!
According to history among the chinese (from President Xi Jingen in thought)
Tribes of red skin men, between 15,000 to 12,000 years ago, fought their way across China to the coast, built 2 mast-sail vessels and sailed across the pacific to South America. The recent study noted above provides some affirmation to President Xi’s witness.