Coloured Woman’s Diverse Ancestral DNA Results Intrigue South Africans: “That’s Such a Mix”

• A Cape Town Coloured woman named Mary showed people on the internet the results of her ancestral DNA
• Coloured people have a diverse mixture of ethnicities, and Mary's ethnic background was no different
• Online community members loved what they saw, with some sharing a breakdown of their ancestral backgrounds
• Mary shared with Briefly News her response to people who often say that Coloured people have no culture

A Coloured woman from Cape Town shared with social media users a breakdown of her ancestral DNA results. She intrigued people with the blend of ethnicities listed from around the globe.

Mary, who uses the handle @so_sturvy on her TikTok account, shared that she used Ancestry, the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, to find out her ancestral history.

The breakdown showed the following:

• 23% Germanic European
• 22% Southern Bantu Peoples
• 13% Deccan and the Gulf of Mannar
• 9% Western Bantu Peoples
• 9% Maritime Southeast Asia
• 5% Gulf of Khambhat
• 5% Central and Southern Philippines
• 4% Ethiopia and Eritrea
• 3% Northern and Central Philippines
• 2% Khoisan, Aka and Mbuti Peoples
• 1% Cameroon
• 1% Nilotic Peoples
• 1% Himalayas and the Hindu Kush
• 1% Southwest India
• 1% Melanesia

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Who are the Coloured people of South Africa?

According to the informative website Study, Cape Coloureds, or Coloureds, are a mixture of ethnicities. Members of the community are often mixed with Xhosa and Khoisan tribes, with predominant Southern Asian (Indian and Malaysian) and European (Dutch, French, British, and German) roots.

During the Dutch colonisation, the Xhosa and Khoisan people were subjected to sexual abuse, which resulted in children of mixed-race heritage and labelled Coloured. Enslaved people from around the world, such as the Southern Asians and other Africans, also contributed to the Coloured community's genetic makeup.

Being Coloured refers not only to race but also to one’s ethnicity.

Coloured woman talks about her culture

While speaking to Briefly News, Mary shared what surprised her the most about her results.

"I was delighted and a bit surprised by the Melanesian 1%. On balance, the results confirmed what I had been taught about my background during my upbringing. I've come to learn that knowing your roots is a grounding experience. It helps one see that who we are is, in fact, part of a larger and beautiful story."

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Regarding claims that Coloured people have no culture, Mary stated that she believed, for the most part, that as a community, Coloured people know that they have a rich and inspiring culture.

"It's natural for people to question, project their own sense of identity onto us, and even criticise who they think we are. We can't force anyone to think of us in the same way we do ourselves, but we can keep telling our own unique stories and honour our history."

Coloured woman's ancestry intrigues the internet

Several social media users headed to the comment section to express their thoughts on the woman's findings.

@justme479 beautifully stated:

"This is one of the most beautiful representations of your ancestors I’ve seen so far."

A positively surprised @sugarplum_1277 noted:

"Yoh, that's such a mix! It went on and on and on. Wow! So interesting."

@maps_p6 told the online community:

"This is a great starting point for all people of South Africa. The whole 'we are the original people' must be parked, and we must operate on facts. I bet if I did my ancestry test, I would find ample Khoi genes in me, too. We are one people as inscribed in our coat of arms: Diverse people united."

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@user5601687034955 shared their personal findings:

"These tests are fascinating. I have my African DNA, Latin American Mexican, and ancient DNA, 1% Neanderthal. It's very rare and can only get to 4%."

@the.alt.dauphine added in the comment section:

"I'm curious about the Melanesian ancestry. It's a common thing I've seen in most South African ancestry. I wonder who the main ancestor was who had that specific heritage. I have a feeling it could be one of the ancestors who came from the Philippines."

Take a look at the TikTok post below:

3 Other stories about the Coloured community

• In another story, Briefly News reported that a viral Instagram reel briefly broke down Coloured people's ethnicity and DNA. The video sparked a debate, with many questioning the accuracy.
• A Mexican man who moved to South Africa shared why he was Coloured by association. South Africans, who eagerly wondered if he would open an authentic Mexican restaurant, welcomed him to the country.
• An American woman expressed her support for the Coloured community following Open Chats Podcast's racist comments. The podcast faced backlash and calls for cancellation.

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Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News