Page 16 - Aruba Today
P. 16
A16
LOCALThursday 29 October 2015
Chatting with dr. Oswald Wever about our genetic structure
at the YMCA in San Nicolas
In 1830 the president of the trail and continued liv- maternal ova and not in
the United States of Amer- ing in peace in their new paternal sperm cells. Y-
ica, Andrew Jackson, territory. chromosome in paternal
enacted ‘The Indian Re- sperms measures genetic
moval Act’ which forced Nowadays there are input, only in men. Mito-
the Cherokee Indians to Cherokees throughout the chondria DNA studies on
leave their homeland United States: from East- the contrary measure ex-
and relocate into unchar- ern Oklahoma to Western clusively maternal genetic
tered territories in the West North Carolina. However, heritage both in women
coast of this continent. little is known about a mi- and men. This means that
13.000 Cherokees were nority of black Indians who the mother’s genes will
removed to Oklahoma still share a common past determine the ethnic geo-
in 1839. One thousand of with Native Americans graphic descendant of
them were African slaves (Documentary: ‘Trail of any population: Indian, Af-
who already had been Tears’). They have mixed rican, European or Asiatic.
set free. Ten thousand of by marriage and they both
the deported Indians and still share the Cherokee During his presentation dr.
African slaves survived tradition. Today genetic Wever will focus on the so
studies were able to iden- called haplogroups. He will
tify their ethnic geographic explain why a person can
descendant through their be part of just one hap-
maternal lineage. logroup. This can never
change! Your nationality
Dr. Oswald Wever has has nothing to do with your
dedicated eight years of ethnic geographic struc-
mitochondrialDNA studies ture. You can change your
in order to identify the ge- passport but you will always
netic structure of the Aru- be an Indian, an African, a
ban population. His main Caucasion European or an
concern was that historians Asiatic.
in the past have commit-
ted distortion of the facts MitochondrialDNA tests
by declaring ‘that the In- are being realized in labo-
dian genes had been ex- ratories. Dr. Oswald Wever
tinguished in the Aruban has performed his research
population’. Dr. Wever in cooperation with two
considered it his mission to prominent institutes ‘Univer-
correct this misinterpreta- sidad de Puerto Rico’ and
tion most exactly as pos- ‘Instituto Venezolano de In-
sible. The additional value vestigaciones Scientificas’
of his research is the evi- (Caracas, Venezuela).
dence based scientific fact
that our Aruban population On sunday the first of no-
is trihybrid: Indian, African vember Fundacion Her-
and Caucasian European. encia Historico di Aruba in
However genetic science cooperation with UNOCA
ascertains that no matter is honouring you with an
the influence of migration interesting presentation
in any part of the world the about the structure of the
genetic descendant of the Aruban population. Dr.
native will stay dominant. Wever is looking forward
The result of his investiga- to meet you and will be
tion indicated in 2011 that pleased to listen to your
54 % of the Aruban popu- comments and to answer
lation still carried Indian your questions.
genes. The presentation will take
place at the YMCA in San
The quickly developing Nicolas from 10:15 till 12
branch of DNA studies noon and will be present-
gives us the opportunity to ed in the English language.
search our roots. Biological Free entrance. Enjoy a
science learns that during snack and refreshment on
procreation characteris- the house.
tics are being carried over “Never believe what the
to the next generation by mirror shows you. Look for
both mother and father. your roots, to know your
DNA is present in all our destiny”.
cells. MitochondriaDNA is Fundacion Herencia His-
present only in mitochon- torico di Aruba
dria and this substantial Lucia Kelly – president
is being found only in the 587 4759.q
