I am of the tribe of Velda
My earliest known ancestor is yours too. Her name is Mitochondrial Eve.. She lived in
Approximately 100,000 years ago, one of her descendants had a slight mutation in her DNA. She was different from all of her sisters. You couldn’t see this mutation, but it was there deep within her anyway. This woman had migrated southwest of her original tribe. She would pass on that same maternal line for another 20,000 years, until yet another daughter had this slight change.
80,000 years ago the tribe began to move north. With them was one incredible, unremarkable woman, unremarkable save for the fact that there was another tiny change in the DNA sequence singing inside her. She would have daughters, and they would pass down this other tiny hiccup in our matrix through today. This was the group that left
We’re not sure when the next mutation happened in my maternal line. The earliest guess is 60,000 years ago, but more research needs to be done. She lived in the eastern Mediterranean region, until there was yet another split in the DNA, creating group R.
R’s group migrated north and then west, settling across
Then again, 40,000 years ago, another of my ancestors had a slight change in her DNA. This was group pre-HV. They migrated west across
I am of the tribe of Velda. She lived approximately 12,000-17,000 years ago today in northwestern
She is 100% without a doubt related to me. She is my ancestor. I am descended of her.
My participation in The Genographic Project was one of the best things I’ve ever done. It gave me something I’ve been searching many years for. It gave me a relative. It gave me a sense of belonging, of history, of family.
I worship precious Velda, unassuming girl child born with my genes, holding within her the daughters of countless future generations, holding within her….. me.
6 complaints from ingrates:
WOW, Theresa.... what a phenomenal story and beautiful post.
Thank you so much for participating in the project and for sharing it with us.
Absolutely fascinating! We all know we came from somewhere, but you know that you were descended from Velda. Jealous. Very cool.
And Velda had nothing on being as cool as you.
Uncool Potential Administrator Husband Type..
Who is REALLY glad Velda existed.
Julie & Rebecca - Thanks. I got involved the Project after a long period of un-searching after hitting yet another brick wall. It gave me the push I needed to start searching again.
And thanks, cool husband, posting anonymously on my blog ;)
~T
Wow, that is amazing. That would be facinating to do.
MSP
Yeah MSP, it really was. There's a second DNA matching part of it that I'm writing about now that's cooler still. Also I am the world's biggest history nerd and armchair archeologist, so the OLDNESS of it is fun.
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