How interesting. Ancestry.com wrote: “Our new update deepens your story in Africa to include your new Igboland region. Now with 50 regions and 93 ethnic groups represented, you can look more closely at how your DNA reveals the people and cultures that shaped your story.”
Previously, African designations tended to follow the nomenclature used by European countries during colonization.
Munster is still the top of the list, undoubtedly from my mom’s dad’s mom, and not at all from my father’s side. “Our Munster region stretches across much of Ireland’s southern and southwestern coasts and is home to cities like Cork, Limerick, and Waterford. Munster is famed for its many castles and early monasteries, including Blarney Castle and the Rock of Cashel, and for its strong traditions in Irish folk music.”
“Stretching across the thick tropical forests and winding rivers of southeastern Nigeria, the Igboland region features a lush, green landscape. Within this territory, independent communities, including the Igbo, built highly organized societies, pioneering advanced metalworking seen in the famous Igbo-Ukwu bronzes over a thousand years ago.” I knew this was likely Nigeria: my mom 10%, my dad 18%.
“Across the rivers, lagoons, and coastal plains of southern Benin, the Benin—Western Gbe Peoples region features a dynamic landscape. Within this territory, peoples including the Weme, Fon, and Gun have built sophisticated societies for centuries. While the powerful Kingdom of Dahomey developed centralized rule and elite women warrior regiments called the Agojie, its expansion sparked widespread slave-raiding.” My father slightly more than my mother.
Ye olde
I like how the English roots have also been parsed. “Southeastern England stretches from the Thames Valley to the coasts of Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex, and Essex, with rolling hills, fertile farmland, and chalk cliffs facing the English Channel and North Sea.” This is all my mother.
I’m very Nigerian. “Stretching across the coastal lagoons and thick tropical forests of southwest Nigeria, the Yorubaland region features a rich, green landscape. Within this territory, independent communities, including the Yoruba, built massive kingdoms. The ancient city of Ile-Ife is celebrated as their spiritual home, famous for beautiful metal sculptures created with incredible skill over eight hundred years ago.” This is 80% my father’s side.
Several Cameroonians are in my church and, more broadly, in the Capital District. “Along the coastal rainforests and river valleys of southwestern Cameroon, tropical forests and waterways have shaped life for centuries. Groups such as the Bayangi developed strong trading and fishing traditions by using the region’s rivers and coast. They grew crops like cassava, produced palm oil, and traded goods from the forest. To help govern their communities, they created the Ngbe, or Leopard Society, an organization that promoted leadership, justice, and cooperation. This system was also shared with neighboring peoples, creating strong regional connections.” This is mostly my father.
On the European side, the last time I checked the results, in 2022, I didn’t show any heritage from the Netherlands, but now I show 4%, mostly on my mother’s side.
When I get these updates, along with possible familial matches, I want to dig deeper into my genealogy, though other things keep getting in the way. The problem with looking up ancestors is that it can be a major time sink.
