(Editor&#8217;s note 7/8/2024: This post has been edited and updated since it first posted in 2019.) This new <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">ancestry breakdown</a> in Central and South Asia is currently available to customers on the latest version of our genotyping platform who are signed up for our Beta Program. This update significantly advances Asian DNA testing, offering more detailed and accurate results. 
South Asian people represent around a quarter of the world’s population but are severely underrepresented in global genetic studies. This makes it difficult for companies like 23andMe to build granular genetic ancestry prediction models for their South Asian customers. However, thanks to ongoing feedback from 23andMe customers with South Asian ancestry and outreach efforts such as our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/global-genetics/">Global Genetics Project</a>, we are now testing an extensive update to our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry">Ancestry Composition</a> feature that dramatically improves results for customers with Central and South Asian ancestry.
If you have genetic ancestry from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or Nepal, your 23andMe <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">Ancestry Composition</a> results may have looked something like this:
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26955 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-1024x432.png" alt="23andMe Ancestry Composition Update - Map of Central and South Asia" width="1024" height="432" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-1024x432.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-300x127.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-768x324.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-880x371.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-1180x498.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
But now, 23andMe’s updated Ancestry Composition report (currently in beta testing with customers)  breaks down Central &amp; South Asia into seven populations:
<ol>
<li>Central Asian (Afghan, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Pashtun, Pakistani from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen)</li>
<li>Bangladeshi &amp; Northeast Indian (Assamese, Bangladeshi)</li>
<li>Central &amp; Southern Indian (name of group TBD)</li>
<li>Gujarati Patel</li>
<li>Kannadiga, Tamil, Telugu &amp; Sri Lankan</li>
<li>Malayali</li>
<li>North Indian &amp; South Pakistani (Bihari, Burusho, Chhattisgarhi, Goan, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Kashmiri, Madhya Pradeshi, Maharashtrian, Odia, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Sindhi, Uttarakhandi, Uttar Pradeshi).</li>
</ol>
Here is a sample report with updated results. This individual has ancestry from three of the seven populations highlighted on the map.
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26954 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-1024x589.png" alt="23andMe Genetic Clustering Techniques for Central and South Asia" width="1024" height="589" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-1024x589.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-300x173.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-768x442.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-880x506.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-1180x679.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></h6>
<h2>How did we identify these new genetic regions in Central &amp; South Asia?</h2>
The first step toward increasing the granularity of Ancestry Composition in Central &amp; South Asia and enhancing the precision of our Asian ancestry test was to build a reference dataset from populations within the regions.
We started with publicly available datasets, including the 1000 Genomes Project (Bangladeshis, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Tamils, and Telugu-speakers) and the Human Genome Diversity Project (Burusho and Sindhi). Next, we added research-consented customers who reported that all four of their grandparents were from a country in Central or South Asia. This effort significantly enhances the accuracy of Asian DNA testing by expanding the reference panel used in Ancestry Composition. Previously, the panel included 1,022 South Asian individuals, but this update more than doubles the size of the panel to 2,696, of which 2,164 are 23andMe customers.
After assembling this group of Central and South Asian individuals, we used genetic clustering techniques to identify distinguishable populations. These techniques allow us to generate two-dimensional plots wherein each individual is represented by a single point. Points corresponding to individuals who are genetically similar to one another generally appear close to one another in these plots, forming clouds, or “clusters,” of points.
To figure out which individuals defined each cluster, we colored each data point by the locations, ethnicities, or languages of their ancestors.
Sometimes, a cluster’s label is pretty easy to figure out: for example, here’s an older scatter plot of our European reference individuals (you can find the whole plot with a legend in our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>), in which we observed that Sardinians form a distinct genetic cluster. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26952 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-1024x739.png" alt="23andMe Genetic Clusters - Scatter Plot of Central and South Asian Populations" width="1024" height="739" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-1024x739.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-300x217.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-768x555.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-880x635.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-1180x852.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM.png 1986w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h2>What about Population Clusters in Central &amp; South Asia?</h2>
In a <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/423632v1">recent study</a>, the authors of a group at McGill University in Montreal identified distinct genetic clusters in South Asia.
In this figure (modified from reference 1), we have removed populations from other world regions for clarity. Note that there are two distinct clusters composed of people who say their ancestors were born in Gujarat. Who are these Gujaratis? And what makes them different from other Gujaratis?
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26953 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-1024x670.png" alt="23andMe Genetic Clusters - Scatter Plot of Central and South Asian Populations" width="1024" height="670" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-1024x670.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-300x196.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-768x503.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-880x576.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-1180x772.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM.png 1375w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
23andMe also identified this distinct group of Gujaratis. Through further analyses, surveys, and confirmation from Beta testers, we determined that most individuals have the last name Patel. The Patels of Gujarat are a large community from western India that primarily descends from agricultural and merchant classes. (The name “Patel” is derived from the name “Patidar,” which means “landowner.”)
One reason this group might be so different from other populations in Gujarat is that a distinctive genetic heritage developed over the centuries as Patels favored marriage within their community. The practice of marrying within a small cultural, religious, or otherwise closely-knit community is called “endogamy,” and distinct genetic populations that form as the result of endogamy are found all around the world (including French Canadian, Armenian, and Ashkenazi Jewish populations among many others).
<h2>What else did we find?</h2>
Another cluster we identified comprises people from Kerala—the southwestern-most state on the Indian mainland. These individuals were genetically distinguishable from the residents of neighboring states in southern India, like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Other groups, like “Central Asian,” “North Indian &amp; Pakistani,” “Bangladeshi &amp; Northeast Indian,” and “Kannadiga, Telugu, Tamil &amp; Sri Lankan,” were more geographically broad. Still, individual customers may be able to see additional granularity in their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/broadly_south_asian/">Ancestry Detail Reports</a> (see sample report, below, of a customer with known ancestry from Karnataka).
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-26951 aligncenter" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AC-39-Sample-Report.png" alt="" width="650" height="338" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AC-39-Sample-Report.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AC-39-Sample-Report-300x156.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px" />Finally, there’s a group we’re calling “Central &amp; Southern Indian.” We know they’re genetically distinct, and we have a hypothesis about what makes them distinct. Still, we need our customers’ help to learn more about how people with this genetic ancestry might identify. That’s why our Beta testers’ feedback is so important to us. Your feedback helps us identify solutions, enact them, and make 23andMe features even better for all customers.
It is important to remember that people with ancestry from regions where these populations overlap may see population mixtures in their results. For example, many people from Afghanistan have a combination of “Central Asian,” “North Indian &amp; Pakistani,” and “Western Asian” DNA based on the reference populations chosen for this analysis.
We hope that some of these new genetic populations are now easier to interpret and that you learned something fun about genetic analysis along the way.
At the end of the day, identity is determined by many things, and each customer’s experience is unique when they explore their Ancestry Composition results. With this in mind, we invite you to share your thoughts with us, either through the feedback survey in the Central &amp; South Asian Beta report, or by commenting on the forums.
<h2>Reference:</h2>
<ol>
<li>Diaz-Papkovich A et al. (2018). “Revealing multi-scale population structure in large cohorts.” bioRxiv preprint. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/423632.</li>
</ol>

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

23andMe Tests New Asian DNA Test Ancestry Breakdown in Central and South Asia

Each year on July 7th, we celebrate World Swahili Language Day, which honors the importance of the Swahili language in unifying African countries during their struggles for independence in the 20th century. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-medieval-swahili-coast">Medieval Swahili Coast</h2>



In celebration, 23andMe is adding a new historical group to our new 23andMe+ Premium™ membership feature, which may genetically connect you to one or more of hundreds of historical people worldwide. 



The new Medieval Swahili Coast historical group consists of 15 historical individuals who lived along the Swahili Coast between the 13th and 20th centuries CE. 



During the 11th-16th centuries, the Swahili civilization flourished along a 2,000-mile-long stretch of coast spanning parts of present-day Kenya, Tanzania, northern Mozambique, southern Somalia, Comoros islands, and northern Madagascar. The Swahili coast served as a center for medieval trade between peoples of African, South Asian, Arabic, and Persian origin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-impact-of-trade-on-language">The Impact of Trade on Language</h2>



These long-distance connections played a critical role in the origins of the Swahili language, also known by its local name, Kiswahili. The Swahili language belongs to the Bantu language family, which consists of approximately 600 different languages spoken across Central, Southern, and Eastern Africa. However, Swahili is notable for having many loanwords borrowed from other languages, particularly Arabic, which comprises over 15 percent of the vocabulary. 



While the impact of medieval long-distance trading connections on the Swahili language is clear, the extent to which these foreign traders impacted the genetics of the medieval Swahili people has long been debated. 



In 2023, researchers sequenced the genomes of 80 historical individuals from sites in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05754-w">six medieval towns along the Swahili coast</a>. This study revealed that prior to 1500 CE, the ancient inhabitants of these coastal towns had a mixture of African and Asian ancestry. 



Further, this mixed ancestry was primarily inherited from female ancestors with African ancestry and male ancestors with Asian (primarily Persian) ancestry. After 1500 CE, the people of the Swahili coast acquired more Arabian-like ancestry, reflecting growing interactions with people from southern Arabia. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn More</h2>



Through 23andMe&#8217;s Historical Matches feature, which is available to all <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">23andMe+ Premium members</a>, you can find out if you share a genetic connection to 15 of the individuals whose genomes were sequenced as part of this study and learn more about the Medieval Swahili Coast.



Discover <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">all that 23andMe offers here</a>.

An image of a traditional sailing vessel on the coast of Africa.

Do you know about the origins of the Swahili Language?

Editor&#8217;s note: (June 4, 2024) This post has been changed since it was first published.
The Royal House of Habsburg, one of the most powerful dynasties of Medieval and Renaissance Europe, reigned over much of Europe for centuries. But genetic inheritance and the perils of inbreeding may explain their demise.
Like <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/researchers-discover-the-true-identity-of-the-royal-disease">many royal families</a>, their expansion and hold on power came about in part through inter-family marriages. But over time, generation after generation of inbreeding helped contribute to some of the physical ailments that often plagued the family and the distinctive look with their big lower lips, long noses, and the unique “Habsburg jaw.” Research published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03014460.2019.1687752?scroll=top&amp;needAccess=true&amp;">Annals of Human Biology</a> describes how this inbreeding likely doomed the dynasty.
(We can&#8217;t tell you if you&#8217;re a royal, but you can learn more about your ancestry and family tree with 23andMe&#8217;s DNA Ancestry service or sign up for a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">membership</a> for advanced ancestry reports and features.)<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-27824 size-medium" title="Habsburg Inbreeding" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs-236x300.png" alt=" Charles II of Spain, showing the Habsburg jaw, a result of inbreeding
" width="236" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs-236x300.png 236w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs-768x974.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs-807x1024.png 807w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs-694x880.png 694w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs-930x1180.png 930w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Habsburgs.png 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px" />
<h2>Understanding Consanguinity: Inbreeding&#8217;s Role in Genetic Disorders</h2>
Inbreeding is when two closely related individuals, who inherited some identical segments of DNA from the same ancestor(s), have children. The term genetic counselors typically use for inbreeding is “consanguinity,” which means “of the same blood” and is pronounced, “con-san-gwinity.”
The degree of relationship between the two individuals matters a lot. Children of parents who are brother and sister are more consanguineous (“con-sang-win-us”) than the children of two people who are first cousins. For similar reasons, consanguinity within the same family over multiple generations increases the risk for hereditary disorders in more than one isolated instance of a consanguineous union in a family tree.
Beginning in the early 12th century, they quickly expanded their realm. They did this through a series of strategically executed marriages, from the mountains of Switzerland to a territory that included swaths of Austria, Hungary, Italy, France, and Spain. The Spanish branch of the Habsburg dynasty helped create an empire that reached its apex in the 16th and 17th centuries. They controlled land from the Philippines to the Americas.
Yet the Habsburgs are known not only for controlling vast tracts of Europe but also for maintaining control by rarely marrying outside the dynasty.   
<h2>Habsburg Inbreeding</h2>
By the end of the 17th century, the results of their marital practices had become apparent. Family members had distinctive protruding lips, a high rate of infant mortality and a host of other health problems.
Could the same marital practices that helped bring the Habsburg dynasty to power also have led to its demise?
In <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0005174" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PLoS One</a>, scientists from Spain&#8217;s University of Santiago de Compostela argue it did. They said that inbreeding so incapacitated the Habsburgs that by the death of King Charles II of Spain in 1700, they were virtually unable to reproduce.
From 1516 to 1700, it has been estimated that over 80% of marriages within the Spanish branch of the Habsburg dynasty were consanguineous. In other words, they were marriages between close blood relatives. These unions often took the form of marriages between first cousins, double-first cousins, and uncles/nieces.   Infant and child mortality rose to 50% among Spanish Habsburgs, much higher than the average for the period.
<h2>The Tragic Reign of Charles II: A Victim of Inbreeding?</h2>
However, the final Habsburg king of Spain, Charles II, was perhaps the most unfortunate result of these unions.   Also known as &#8220;El Hechizado&#8221; (&#8220;The Hexed&#8221;), Charles was severely deformed.   The so-called &#8220;Habsburg Lip&#8221;, a form of mandibular prognathism often seen among members of the Habsburg Dynasty, was so pronounced in Charles&#8217; case. So much so that it was difficult for him to speak.   An enlarged tongue, gastrointestinal problems, mental retardation, and possible growth problems meant that Charles was raised almost as an infant until the age of 10.   Even as he grew older, he was never able to govern effectively.   His rule saw the rapid decline of the Empire, only exacerbated by his death in 1700.
However, there has been little scientific research for all the speculation and anecdotal evidence of the negative impact of inbreeding on the House of Habsburg. So, there is no hard evidence of whether inbreeding actually played a role in the demise of the Hapsburg line.   The authors of this study sought to achieve this goal by examining genealogical information. To do that, they looked at family pedigrees for the eight royal families connected with the Habsburg dynasty.
<h2>Quantifying Royal Inbreeding: The Habsburg Family Tree Analysis</h2>
They analyzed the family pedigrees of over 3,000 individuals spanning 16 generations. They then used this information to calculate the inbreeding coefficient for each family member. The inbreeding coefficient is simply a measure of the chance that someone will receive identical genes from both parents.
Unsurprisingly, the authors found elevated inbreeding coefficients for many Habsburgs.   In fact, the levels increase consistently from the earliest Spanish Habsburgs. This goes from King Philip I (1478-1506) to the last Spanish Habsburg king Charles II.   Some of the Habsburgs &#8211; notably Charles II &#8211; had an inbreeding coefficient nearly twice what one would expect, given the level of relatedness between his mother and father.   In other words, although Charles&#8217; parents were related to each other as uncle and niece, his inbreeding coefficient fell at the same level as someone whose parents were brother and sister.
These unexpectedly high levels indicate consanguineous marriages, like that of Charles&#8217; parents. These unions had been happening along the Habsburg line for hundreds of years. This practice came to a head with the birth of Charles, whose inbreeding coefficient was the highest of all the Spanish Habsburgs. His physical deformities were also the most severe.
Further, the authors argue that Charles&#8217; ill health directly resulted from centuries of consanguineous unions. Expressly, they point to a growth hormone deficiency and severe renal tubular acidosis. These may have accounted for his short stature and many physical deformities and ailments.   These diseases are pretty rare in the general population. But the fact that so many of Charles&#8217; ancestors were related to each other would have increased his chances of inheriting the genes associated with them.   Whether Charles suffered from these specific diseases is still open to interpretation. However, his physical and mental difficulties prevented him from fathering any heirs to the throne.
The Habsburg dynasty in Spain ended when Charles passed away in 1700, a few days shy of his 39th birthday.
<h2>Genetics and Personalized Health in the 21st Century</h2>
The Habsburg dynasty&#8217;s story highlights genetics&#8217; profound impact on health and well-being, a reality that resonates even more strongly in the 21st century. Today, advancements in genetic research have opened up a new frontier in personalized healthcare.
Understanding one&#8217;s genetic makeup can provide insights into potential health risks, carrier status for certain conditions, and how individuals might respond to different medications. This knowledge empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health, from lifestyle choices to proactive screenings and treatments.
23andMe, at the forefront of personal genetics, provides individuals with access to this valuable information. While rooted in the past, the Habsburg narrative serves as a compelling reminder of the power of genetics in shaping health outcomes.
Find out if your <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/genetic-health/?_gl=1*1xgbpjj*_ga*MTczMTM3NTg5LjE3MTY0MjQ4MzE.*_ga_G330GF3ZFF*MTcxNjQ0OTk1Ny40LjEuMTcxNjQ1MDA2MC4wLjAuMA..">genetics</a> might Increase your risk for any health conditions with 23andMe.

The Habsburg Jaw: How Inbreeding Ended a Dynasty

Last week, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07509-7">a new ancient DNA study</a> led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia in Mexico revealed that contrary to some early theories about ritual sacrifice practices in the ancient Maya civilization, not all sacrifice victims were young women.&nbsp;



In the study, the authors analyzed DNA from the remains of 64 sacrifice victims found nearly 60 years ago in an underground cistern in Chichén Itzá, an ancient Maya city in what is now Yucatán, Mexico. Buried between 500 – 900 CE (a time when Chichén Itzá was the most powerful city in the northern Maya region), the victims were children at the time of their death. To the researchers’ astonishment, every single one of the children had a Y chromosome, meaning that they were all genetically male. Not only that, many were siblings or cousins, and there were even two pairs of identical twin boys. &nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="507" height="338" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/gettyimages-481272289-170667a.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-33086" style="width:647px;height:auto" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/gettyimages-481272289-170667a.jpg 507w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/gettyimages-481272289-170667a-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 507px) 100vw, 507px" /></figure>



The El Castillo step-pyramid at Chichén Itzá.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-twins">Why twins?</h2>



In Maya mythology, twin boys figure prominently. The story of Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque is chronicled in the Popol Vuh (or Popol Wuj), the Maya story of creation. In this epic, the twins are challenged to a series of tests by the Death Lords of the Underworld, Xibalba. Eventually, the twins outwit the crafty Death Lords and ascend to the sky to become the sun and moon. Researchers speculate that the story of the Hero Twins may have inspired the ritual sacrifice of the boys at Chichén Itzá.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1710" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-scaled.jpg" alt="A painting of the mythical Maya hero twins by the painter Diego Rivera." class="wp-image-33087" style="width:766px;height:auto" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-880x588.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/iiif-service_rbc_rbc0001_2008_2008kislak00220_001-full-pct_50-0-default-1180x788.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



“Trials of the hero-twins,” painted by Diego Rivera in 1931



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovery-of-the-mass-grave">Discovery of the mass grave</h2>



In 1967, workers who were building an airport runway near Chichén Itzá discovered the remains of over 100 children near Chichén Itzá’s Sacred Cenote (sinkhole) in a type of underground cistern called a chultún, which may have represented an entrance to the underworld.



Despite the site’s clear historical significance, archaeologists were granted only two months to excavate the site and exhume the bones so that they could be preserved and studied. Now, over 50 years later, ancient DNA technology has made it possible to learn more about the identities of the buried children.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2560" height="1920" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-scaled.jpeg" alt="A photo of the sinkhole Sacred Cenote near the Chichen ruins." class="wp-image-33085" style="width:617px;height:auto" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-880x660.jpeg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sacred_Cenote_Chichen_Itza_02-1180x885.jpeg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /></figure>



The Sacred Cenote (sinkhole) which is located in the ceremonial center of Chichén



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-out-if-you-are-genetically-connected">Find out if you are genetically connected</h2>



And the discoveries don’t stop there. Thanks to Historical Matches, SM our new 23andMe+® Premium membership feature, you can find out if you share a genetic connection with 24 of the sacrifice victims whose DNA was sequenced as part of this study (40 of the 64 genomes analyzed in the study did not meet 23andMe’s quality standards for inclusion in the feature).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seven-new-indigenous-american-genetic-groups-added-in-mexico"> Seven new Indigenous American Genetic Groups added in Mexico</h2>



In addition to adding the ancient Maya individuals from Chichén Itzá to the Historical Matches feature, we are also adding seven new Genetic Groups in what is now Mexico and parts of northern Central America, as well as a group in the Mariana Islands with Indigenous American ancestry introduced centuries ago as a result of Spanish colonialism. This update adds finer detail for customers with roots in these regions.&nbsp;



The update will be available for customers on the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a>, V5.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indigenous-american-genetic-groups-in-mexico-central-america-and-the-western-pacific">Indigenous American Genetic Groups in Mexico, Central America, and the western Pacific</h2>



Below are the seven Genetic Groups we&#8217;ve added in the latest update.



Maya &#8211; Shared Indigenous American ancestors with people who identify as Maya in southern Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and western Honduras.&nbsp;



Mexican diasporic ancestry in the Marianas &#8211; Shared ancestors with people in the western Pacific who have Indigenous American ancestry that was introduced centuries ago due to Spanish colonialism. Most people in this Genetic Group identify as Chamorro—the Indigenous people of the Mariana Islands—and all carry a small amount of Indigenous American genetic ancestry, which was likely introduced to the Mariana Islands around the time of the Spanish–Chamorro Wars. The Indigenous American DNA in this Genetic Group is most similar to the DNA of people who identify as Otomí, who have historically resided in central Mexico, particularly around what is now Mexico City.



Purépecha &#8211; Shared Indigenous American ancestors with people identifying as Purépecha, primarily in Michoacán, Mexico. Today, the Purépecha mainly inhabit western Mexico, a community in Nicaragua that is believed to have descended from Purépecha migrants who settled in the region centuries ago.



Zapotec &#8211; Shared Indigenous American ancestors with people identifying as Zapotec, primarily in Oaxaca, Mexico.&nbsp;



Nahua &#8211; Shared Indigenous American ancestors with people identifying as Nahua in central Mexico.&nbsp;



Mixtec &#8211; Shared Indigenous American ancestors with people identifying as Mixtec (Mixteco), primarily in Puebla and La Mixteca—a cultural region in western Oaxaca, Mexico.&nbsp;



Otomí &#8211; Shared Indigenous American ancestors with people identifying as Otomí, primarily in Querétaro, Guanajuato, and the State of Mexico.

An image of the Maya pyramid El Castillo at Chichén Itzá.

New Historical Matches and Genetic Groups could connect you to the ancient Maya Civilization

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month. In celebration, 23andMe is adding 20 new historical individuals from the ancient Caribbean to Historical Matches,SM our new 23andMe+ Premium membership feature that may genetically connect you to one or more of hundreds of historical people across the globe.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="354" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Caribbean-Map.png" alt="Map of the Caribbean from Wikimedia Commons" class="wp-image-33036" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Caribbean-Map.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Caribbean-Map-300x207.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



 The first evidence of human occupation of the Caribbean dates to approximately 6,000 years ago, when stone-tool-using hunter-gatherers migrated into the region. 



Around 3,500 years later, a second wave of migration into the region of people who practiced intensive agriculture and predominantly used ceramics began. 



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="341" height="512" data-id="33035" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Tiano-Sculture.png" alt="A Taíno Figure Pendant from the Dominican Republic that dates to the 13th-15th century." class="wp-image-33035" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Tiano-Sculture.png 341w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Tiano-Sculture-200x300.png 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Taíno Figure Pendant from the Dominican Republic that dates to the 13th-15th century. </figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="427" data-id="33034" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/taino-bowl.png" alt="A Taíno bowl from the Dominican Republic that dates to the 13th-15th century." class="wp-image-33034" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/taino-bowl.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/taino-bowl-300x250.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Taíno bowl from the Dominican Republic that dates to the 13th-15th century. </figcaption></figure>
</figure>



 In 2020, an international team of researchers analyzed the genomes of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7864882/">174 ancient individuals from the Caribbean </a>who lived between 3,100 and 400 years ago, spanning both hunter-gatherer and agricultural eras. They found that the first inhabitants of the Caribbean were most closely related to populations who lived in Central and northern South America at that time, suggesting that the first wave of migration into the Caribbean may have come from these regions. 



However, the later ceramic-using peoples had ancestry that was more similar to present-day people who live near the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela and speak Arawak languages. 



Although the arrival of people of European and African ancestry during and after the 15th century almost wiped out <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-adds-more-detail-for-indigenous-caribbean-ancestry">many indigenous people</a>, many present-day Caribbean people can trace some of their genetic ancestry to those early Indigenous inhabitants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more-about-historical-matches">Learn More about Historical Matches</h2>



You can find out if you share a genetic connection to any of the dozens of individuals who were included in this study and learn more about the first peoples of the Caribbean through 23andMe’s <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">Historical Matches feature</a>, which is available to all <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">23andMe+ Premium members</a>.&nbsp;

Do You Know about the Earliest Inhabitants of the Caribbean?

23andMe+® Premium members can now dive deeper into their heritage with Distant Genetic Groups: a new feature for Ancestry Composition.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="371" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/distant-genetic-groups-France.png" alt="A map showing distant genetic groups in France
" class="wp-image-33021" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/distant-genetic-groups-France.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/distant-genetic-groups-France-300x217.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



Since the launch of Genetic Groups in 2020 as a new type of detailed results within Ancestry Composition, customers on the V5 chip have been able to see their close matches (previously labeled &#8220;Highly Likely&#8221; or &#8220;Likely&#8221; within the feature). These matches usually represent close family or recent connections.



Over the past few years, many customers have asked if we could go further back in time or lower the shared DNA requirements to find more distant ancestral connections.



To provide these customers with even more information about their more distant connections to Genetic Groups, we evaluated different thresholds at which we felt we could still deliver meaningful results and settled on an approach that achieved these goals.&nbsp;



Thanks to this additional R&amp;D, we are now allowing 23andMe+ Premium members to view their more distant connections to Genetic Groups.&nbsp;



Importantly, we are not removing or hiding Genetic Group matches that non-Premium members can already see. When we release new regions in the future, non-Premium members will still be able to view their very close connections to those regions.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Because of the nature of these analyses and because we are continuing to roll out new Genetic Groups around the world, not all 23andMe+ Premium members have distant Genetic Group matches. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="281" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups.png" alt="A map of the world showing where 23andMe has updated Distant Genetic Groups" class="wp-image-33022" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups-300x165.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups-271x149.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups-372x204.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



Recently, we’ve added 36 Genetic Groups in France and Belgium, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-improves-ancestry-results-for-people-with-south-american-levantine-sephardic-and-mizrahi-genetic-ancestry">13 Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish groups</a>, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-improves-ancestry-results-for-people-with-south-american-levantine-sephardic-and-mizrahi-genetic-ancestry">26 groups in the Levant</a>, and 21 Indigenous American groups in South America, and many more are coming soon.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-genetic-groups-and-what-is-a-distant-connection">What are Genetic Groups, and what is a “Distant” connection?</h2>



Genetic Groups are groups of people with significant genetic similarity to each other, who may share ethnic identities, languages, or other similar characteristics.&nbsp;



“Distant” matches to Genetic Groups reflect meaningful DNA connections to Genetic Groups that may be:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Further back in time </li>



<li>Through fewer ancestors</li>



<li>Or otherwise harder to detect</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-distant-match-nbsp">What does it mean to have a Distant match?&nbsp;</h2>



Distant matches can mean different things for different parts of the world, but each match still represents a meaningful amount of shared DNA. Typically, a distant match could mean that you share DNA with multiple people in that Genetic Group but the total amount of shared DNA does not meet our threshold for assigning matches at a higher confidence level.



Sometimes, these matches may reflect very distant ancestral connections, particularly if the population shares high amounts of DNA. Other times, these matches may reflect more recent connections through fewer shared ancestors.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-find-out-if-you-have-distant-genetic-group-connections">How to find out if you have Distant Genetic Group connections</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sephardic-Mizrahi-300x169.png" alt="An image showing Sephardic and Mizrahi ancestral distant genetic groups." class="wp-image-33023" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sephardic-Mizrahi-300x169.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sephardic-Mizrahi.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



If you are a 23andMe+ Premium member, visit your Ancestry Composition results and look for “new” tags to see if you have any distant matches. Click on the population or populations with the “new” tag and look for Genetic Groups with a “new” tag and an in-line Distant match strength. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-a-23andme-premium-member">Not a 23andMe+ Premium member? </h2>



If you are not a 23andMe+ Premium member and want to know if you would have any “Distant” Genetic Groups if you were to become a member, follow these steps:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Indicate in the <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/consent/tma/">Personalized Recommendations Consent</a> that you would like to receive Personalized Recommendations.</li>



<li>After consenting to receive personalized recommendations, browse your Ancestry Composition results by clicking on each of your populations.</li>



<li>Look for a notification within your detailed ancestry results that you have a Distant Genetic Group match.</li>



<li>Please keep in mind you may not have any Distant Genetic Group connections at this time. </li>
</ol>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="399" height="512" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/British-Irish-73-percent.png" alt="Ancestry Composition with link to distant genetic groups in Britan and Ireland." class="wp-image-33024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/British-Irish-73-percent.png 399w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/British-Irish-73-percent-234x300.png 234w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px" /></figure>



How to find out if you are a 23andMe+ Premium member:&nbsp;



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Go to your account settings at <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/">https://you.23andme.com/user/</a></li>



<li>View the “Personal Information” section and find the section called “Membership.” </li>



<li>If you are not a member, it will say, “Not a 23andMe+ Premium member.”</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-is-included-with-23andme-premium">What else is included with 23andMe+ Premium</h2>



Do you want to upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium to view your Distant Genetic Group connections but are unsure if it’s worth it just for that?&nbsp;



23andMe+ Premium has so much more, including <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">Historical Matches</a>SM, up to 5000 (3x) DNA relatives, Advanced DNA Relative filters, exclusive reports Powered by 23andMe Research including ADHD, depression, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, migraine, lupus and more. These reports and features are powered by our latest genetic research and peer-reviewed studies.&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium from the Health + Ancestry service: <a href="https://you.23andme.com/subscription/">https://you.23andme.com/subscription/</a></li>



<li>Upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium from Ancestry Only service: <a href="https://you.23andme.com/subscription_ao/?source=historical_matches_web">https://you.23andme.com/subscription_ao/</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-yet-a-23andme-customer">Not yet a 23andMe customer?</h2>



Purchase a new kit with one year membership included: <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">https://www.23andme.com/membership/</a>&nbsp;

A map of the world showing where 23andMe has updated Distant Genetic Groups

Discover Distant Genetic Groups with 23andMe+ Premium

Did you know that May 30th and 31st mark the anniversaries of the deaths of Gleb Svyatoslavich and Izjaslav Ingvarevych, who were princes of parts of the historical state of Kievan Rus’? 



Kievan Rus’ encompassed parts of present-day Ukraine, Belarus, and European Russia between the late 9th and mid-13th centuries CE. 23andMe is marking the anniversaries by updating <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">Historical Matches</a>.SM  This new 23andMe+ Premium membership feature may genetically connect you to one or more of hundreds of historical people across the globe, and now includes Gleb and Izjaslav.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-among-the-first-saints-of-kievan-rus">Among the First Saints of Kievan Rus&#8217;</h2>



Gleb was a prince of Tmutarakan and Novgorod during the 11th century CE. His name came from his great-uncle, Gleb Vladimirovich, one of the first saints canonized in Kievan Rus’ after the region adopted Christianity. 



Gleb was appointed ruler of the principality of Tmutarakan by his father, but was overthrown and expelled from the principality twice by his cousin Rostislav Vladimirovich. Later, he ruled the principality of Novgorod, but after his father’s death, the local population revolted against him. He tried to flee but was killed on May 30th 1078 and buried in the Holy Savior Cathedral in Chernigov, in what is now northern Ukraine. 



His skull was discovered buried in a stone sarcophagus at the site of the cathedral during construction work in 1967. Anthropologists and scientists who studied the skull confirmed that it belonged to a genetically male individual who died around the age of 25-35. They also found marks on his skull consistent with wounds made by a sword.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-battle-of-the-kalka-river">The Battle of the Kalka River</h2>



Less is known about Izjaslav Ingvarevych, the 13th century CE prince of Dorogobuzh from the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia. Some sources suggest that he was born around 1180 CE and died on May 31st, 1223 CE, during the Battle of the Kalka River. 



During this battle, Mongol armies—led by the generals Jebe and Subutai, who served under the emperor Genghis Khan—defeated a coalition composed of forces from several principalities of Kievan Rus’ and warriors from the nomadic Cuman people. Although the exact size of both armies is debated, it is said that tens of thousands of Rus’ and Cuman fighters died during the battle, while the Mongol army suffered very few casualties. 



In 1989, Izjaslav’s skull was discovered in a tomb at Lutsk castle, one of the most famous landmarks in the present-day city of Lutsk, Ukraine. Analysis of Izjaslav’s skeletal remains indicated that he died around the age of 30-40, and evidence of stab wounds on his skeleton and an arrowhead found embedded in his skull indicate that he also died a violent death. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-post-viking-age">The Post Viking Age</h2>



Researchers sequenced the genomes of Gleb and Izjaslav as part of a 2020 study of the genetics of the Viking world. Although they were not Vikings, their genomes were of interest to the study team as they lived just after the Viking Age ended in Europe (around 1050 CE). 



The Vikings had a massive impact on the genetics and history of much of Europe, including throughout Kievan Rus’, founded by Oleg the Wise, a Viking who ruled Novgorod during the 9th century CE.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn More</h2>



You can learn more about Gleb and Izjaslav (and others who lived during or around the time of the Viking Age) through 23andMe’s Historical Matches feature, which is available to all 23andMe+ Premium members. 



Not yet a 23andMe+ Premium member? Find out more about 23andMe+ Premium offerings <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">here</a>.

A painting of Knyaz Gleb Svyatoslavovych killing Magi at the Novgorod veche (Prince's Court)

Historical Matches Added: Gleb Svyatoslavich and Izjaslav Ingvarevych

May is Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In celebration, 23andMe is adding a new group of historical individuals to Historical Matches,SM our new 23andMe+ Premium membership feature that may genetically connect you to one or more of hundreds of historical people across the globe. 



This new historical group, called The Early Peoples of Remote Oceania, contains 10 new historical individuals who lived in Vanuatu—an archipelago in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean—during the last 2,500 years.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="432" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x-1024x432.png" alt="A map of migration patterns for early people of Oceania." class="wp-image-32946" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x-1024x432.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x-300x127.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x-768x324.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x-880x371.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x-1180x498.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu1_2x.png 1660w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-first-people-of-remote-oceania"> The First People of Remote Oceania</h2>



The first people to settle in Remote Oceania—a region including Vanuatu, Tonga, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Guam, and Hawai’i—started arriving around 3,000 years ago. 



These first settlers belonged to an ancient group known as the ancient Austronesians. The ancient Austronesians were originally from the island now known as Taiwan and were skilled long-distance seafarers and farmers. Between 3,500 BCE and 1,250 CE, they migrated across vast distances, spreading their language and farming technology to regions as far-flung as Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the Pacific and Madagascar off the eastern coast of Africa. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="432" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x-1024x432.png" alt="" class="wp-image-32947" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x-1024x432.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x-300x127.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x-768x324.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x-880x371.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x-1180x498.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/filipino_edu3_2x.png 1660w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Ancient Austronesians had ancestry similar to present-day East Asian populations. However, present-day Indigenous peoples from Remote Oceania have mixed ancestry, inherited from Austronesian and Melanesian ancestors. Determining when these two groups were first mixed has been a significant <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29501328/">focus of anthropologists and geneticists</a>, and ancient DNA data has played a critical role in answering this question. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="216" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Melanesian-Austronesian.png" alt="" class="wp-image-32951" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Melanesian-Austronesian.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Melanesian-Austronesian-300x127.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn More</h2>



Discover more about The Early Peoples of Remote Oceania through 23andMe’s Historical Matches feature, available to all <a href="https://you.23andme.com/p/394a5612ffeef442/historical-matches/">23andMe+ Premium members.</a> 



Learn more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">all that 23andMe offers here</a>.

A map of migration patterns for early people of Oceania.

Do You Know About the Earliest Inhabitants of Remote Oceania?

It&#8217;d been 43 years since the last time Kim held her son.&nbsp;



In all those decades, she wondered what had happened after she&#8217;d given him up in a private adoption as a scared 15-year-old girl. Kim&#8217;s life turned out well: She married and has two wonderful daughters and grandkids, but the thought of her son and the questions never left her.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-good-person">A Good Person</h2>



Did he have a good life? Did his parents love him? Was he happy?



&#8220;You know, the only thing I could ever think about in my head was, &#8216;I just want him to be alive and be a good person,'&#8221; Kim said.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="284" height="300" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kimberly-Ramos-and-Jason-284x300.png" alt="Kim and her son Jason soon after meeting in person for the first time." class="wp-image-32850" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kimberly-Ramos-and-Jason-284x300.png 284w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kimberly-Ramos-and-Jason-768x813.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kimberly-Ramos-and-Jason-968x1024.png 968w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kimberly-Ramos-and-Jason-832x880.png 832w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kimberly-Ramos-and-Jason.png 1066w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px" /></figure>



With the help of 23andMe and her daughter Jenny, Kim could answer those questions. Most importantly, she was able to embrace her son, Jason, for the first time and see the wonderful father and person he&#8217;d become.&nbsp;



Their first in-person meeting was at a gas station near Des Moines, a random halfway point between where Kim had been in Minnesota and Jason in Missouri. Kim found a friendly cashier to record the moment on her cellphone, and you can hear the cashier’s sweet comments while she’s filming.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-long-embrace">A Long Embrace</h2>



In the video, you can see their minute-long embrace in the aisles between the chips and soda fountain and the emotion welling up in them. Kim cries and pulls back to look into Jason&#8217;s eyes and touch his cheeks as the two — mother and son — soak in the moment.



For Jason, it was the first time he had looked at someone besides his kids who looked like him. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Kim and Jason First Hug" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ERbWCvwZ-Ao?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



&#8220;That was like, &#8216;Wow,'&#8221; he said.



Their story was unexpected for both of them. Jason always knew he had been adopted, but he wasn&#8217;t looking for his biological parents. Raised in a loving Midwest home with four siblings, who also were adoptees, Jason didn&#8217;t feel the need to go searching. He had questions, but he wasn&#8217;t looking.&nbsp;



Then, in late 2022, his wife, Elizabeth, gave him a 23andMe kit for Christmas. The two, who met and fell in love in high school, have three children and one grandchild. Elizabeth survived a breast cancer battle starting in 2019, and now in their 40s, the couple wanted to know more about their health.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-for-health-information">Looking for Health Information</h2>



Jason, who had no family health history, thought it was vital for him and his children.



&#8220;If you grew up with a mom and dad and brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and grandparents, you&#8217;d know if there was anything you should be aware of,&#8221; he said.



Jason used 23andMe to see if he had any genetic predispositions that would concern him or his three children and one grandson.



&#8220;So, the motivation was, &#8216; Let&#8217;s (learn more) for (the kids) sake,’&#8221; he said.



He did get some health information indicating a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, but he&#8217;d also opted into DNA Relatives. Opening DNA Relatives, he saw someone matched as a predicted niece. He messaged her almost immediately, and he got a response.



&#8220;I&#8217;m not your niece. I&#8217;m your half-sister. Our mom&#8217;s name is Kimberly.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-someone-searching-for-me">Someone Searching for Me</h2>



Kim&#8217;s daughter Jenny knew all about her mom giving up a son at 15. She was able to fill Jason in on his biological mom&#8217;s life.



&#8220;It was unbelievable, you know, because I wasn&#8217;t looking for one, and it happened so fast,&#8221; Jason said. &#8220;It was literally within a minute or two that she responded, which blew my mind.&#8221;



The two quickly connected on the phone and talked. Jenny was in Nebraska, and Jason was at home in Missouri. So much was loaded into Jenny&#8217;s response and their conversation on the phone.



&#8220;Like, I just had no idea that there was somebody out there looking for me, you know? So, yeah, it&#8217;s hard to imagine all that when you&#8217;re an adoptee,&#8221; Jason said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mom-are-you-sitting-down">Mom, Are You Sitting Down?</h2>



They&#8217;d talked in the evening, but Jenny waited until morning to call Kim.



&#8220;Mom, are you sitting down,&#8221; she said.



Kim, concerned something was terribly wrong, sat down and braced herself. Her husband stood by, concerned.



&#8220;Mom, I found your son,&#8221; Jenny said.



&#8220;We were both crying and talking,&#8221; Kim said. It took me a while to catch my breath, but as soon as I did, I called (Jason), and it&#8217;s been like it was all meant to be.&#8221;



They eventually arranged to meet in person. Kim and her husband now live in Florida but had been in Minnesota and were on a road trip to see their daughter in Nebraska, so she and Jason arranged to meet at a road stop gas station about midway.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-relationship">Building a Relationship</h2>



For Kim, getting to know Jason, learning about his upbringing, meeting his family, and having them embrace her has given her peace. She&#8217;s building relationships with them that are expanding her family. Jason and his wife have visited Kim and her husband in Florida. They all spent time with Jason&#8217;s family in Missouri.



&#8220;His entire family was there to meet us, and I cannot tell you how nervous I was to meet them, but I got the best hugs and love from everybody,&#8221; Kim said. &#8220;I&#8217;m so thankful these lovely people adopted Jason.&#8221;



They&#8217;re trying to build new family traditions, but Kim said there isn&#8217;t a rush.



&#8220;I don&#8217;t need to hurry anything,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We&#8217;re a family now. We&#8217;re together, and we&#8217;re not going anywhere.&#8221;



Jason knows that many adoptees never get the opportunity to meet their birth mom or build a relationship. Maybe they never connect; if they do, it isn&#8217;t a welcoming experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;



&#8220;I didn&#8217;t even realize anything was missing in my life, but now I feel complete.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discover-more-with-23andme">Discover more with 23andMe</h2>



Not everyone is searching for family, but <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Service </a>can help you learn your genetic connections to more than 3000 geographic regions or your connections to DNA Relatives with whom you share DNA. 



If you want to go deeper, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">23andMe Health + Ancestry</a> gives you all the great insights of the Ancestry Service, plus more than 150 personalized reports with information to help you manage your health. 



Learn more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">all that 23andMe offers here</a>.

Ancestry Service — Page 7