Dancers at a powwow hosted by the Sac and Fox Nation. Photo: farmboyted
Curious about your tribal heritage and want to take a DNA test to learn about your "percentage" of Native ancestry? Talk to your elders instead, urges Harlan McKosato, a citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation:
What if you thought you were practically full-blood Native and took a DNA test and found out you were 34 percent white and/or 15 percent black? Would it be demoralizing? Would you demand a re-test and plop down another 100 bucks? DNA/ancestry testing is a gigantic money-making machine. It’s based on our own curiosity to find out who we are and where we come from – it’s an interesting thing. My mother was my ancestry.com. When I was younger, she was always telling stories about who was part of our family tree (and who wasn’t), and how we were related to this family and who my great grandparents were – and just on and on and on. I always wondered “why is she telling me all this? What good is this going to do me?” I look at all the advertisements for these DNA testing/ancestry/genealogy sites and now I know why mom told me all those stories – she was instilling in me a sense of identity and purpose. I did absorb everything she was telling me, at least subconsciously. Therefore, I don’t have any questions about who I am and where I come from, and who my ancestors are; although there are gaps in the equation.Read More on the Story:
Harlan McKosato: The Money-Making Machine Known as DNA Testing (Indian Country Media Network 5/22)
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