Someone asked the folllowing question in an online forum --
What is the opinion on companies like DNA consultants? What is the likelihood that they are actually providing a realistic look at genetic admixture with respect to Native American ancestry?
Reviewing what I have said before --
Learn These Concepts.
Reliability -- the degree to which the result of a measurement, calculation, or specification can be depended upon to be accurate.
Validity -- Validity refers to how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure
Occam’s Razor – the principle (attributed to William of Occam) that in explaining a thing no more assumptions should be made than are necessary. The principle is often invoked to defend reductionism or nominalism.
As far as DNA Consultants is concerned what do I know of how reliable they are. I have a friend who notified me that she belonged to the "Michigan Cherokees". She and I both knew the Cherokee never settled in Michigan. Occm's razor tells me to reject statements such as this. The most rational and accepted view of the homeland of the Cherokee is the Southern Appalachians. Everyone knows this. So I know at least part of what DNA Consultants says is utter nonsense.
Variability refers to how accurately the tools they use to create their measurements is. I know nothing of the tools they use to the conclusions they eventually develop. At present I have sent them a message asking for this information. I will report it if and when it arrives.
NONSENSE
I have tried to fight the nonsense DNA Consultants puts out for one and a half decades! Finally someone pushed me too far. I will keep looking. This is what I found after just 30 minutes of looking online. I found what an actual Cherokee veteran said about DNA Consultants, founded by Mr. Yates. As far as I am concerned, I think Mr. Yates needs to find an honest job. This is my opinion and mine alone. If he wants me to delete my opinion or apologise to him, I'd like to see his credentials. First, here is part of how DNA Consultants says about themselves:
DNA Consultants
Most histories of the Cherokee nation focus on its encounters with Europeans, its conflicts with the U. S. government, and its expulsion from its lands during the Trail of Tears. This work, however, traces the origins of the Cherokee people to the third century B.C.E. and follows their migrations through the Americas to their homeland in the lower Appalachian Mountains. Using a combination of DNA analysis, historical research, and classical philology, it uncovers the Jewish and Eastern Mediterranean ancestry of the Cherokee and reveals that they originally spoke Greek before adopting the Iroquoian language of their Haudenosaunee allies while the two nations dwelt together in the Ohio Valley.
Response from a Cherokee Veteran
Sam Morningstar
Native American, Ground Combat Veteran (Iraq)Author has 5.3K answers and 34.4M answer views1y
It is among the worst DNA companies operating today.
It is run by a guy named Dr. Donald Yates. He has a PhD in Classical Studies, not genetics (his M.A. and B.A. was in English).
He basically is a White dude with the classic Indian blood lore, and he really got into this scene in the early 2000s. He has written among the worst Native “genealogical” pieces found anywhere on the web. It’s on par with the garbage that is promulgated by the Searching for Saponitown website/blog.
It’s more than just useless, but is actually full of misinformation. One will actually be less knowledgeable about Native topics if they read his works.
Anyway, if just writing choose-your-own-adventure stories wasn’t enough, he started up his own DNA company. And he continues on the same trajectory as before. Basically, anyone that sends in a DNA sample will be determined to be “Native American.” I could go on and on about his so-called methodology. But, suffice to say, it is the worst. THE WORST!
To kind of hammer this point home, here is the HQ for DNA Consultants:
[Vance's comment: I didn't realize until later, Sam had Donald's home address in Arizona listed. I saw it and deleted it. Someone who wants to find his address they can do so elsewhere]
It’s a business run out of his house, and he has no training or expertise in genetic research.
5K viewsView upvotesAnswer requested by
Katie Riley
Other responses to Sam -- first -- me
Mr Morningstar — I love your comment. Once I was a person who frequented that Saponitown forum. But when Mr Yates started saying the Cherokee were really Jewish — I thought he was an idiot. How can anyone believe that? He’s a con-man, pure and simple, taking advantage of people with a small percentage of Native bloob. My own DNA results say, taking margin of error into effect, from 3% to 10% Native heritage. Put that in genealogical (binary) number, from about 1/32nd to 3/32nds — or 3/96ths to 9/96ths. I have ancestors who served in “Beans Rangers”, some of the first troops found at Fort Gibson — on the Creek/Cherokee border dating back to 1832. We later lived in the Choctaw & Chickasaw Nations. Muriel Havel Wright stated some Catawba were adopted by the Choctaw. My family wasn’t one of them. My great grandpa (1854–1926) leased land for cattle and livestock raising from the Kiowa in sw Ok. I still live in SW Ok. But we are not enrolled. But Yates is making a living by conning people like me — I am mostly English/Scots-Irish and German and that side of the family can be found easily — I know that and readily admit it — but it is that little bit that carry Catawba/Saponi surnames that can’t be traced. Mr Yates takes advantage of us. Dad is dark complected, had black hair and brown eyes. Mama was mostly German. Most people claiming Saponi heritage are at most 1/32nd and as such won’t find Native DNA or if they do it’s just 1/32nd or less, usually. By testing us, Yated will discover genealogy from all over the place! He is a fraud, pure and simple. I have a BS in math from Cameron Univ. in Lawton, Ok and as such hate to read about what some of thee folks pass as “genealogical or DNA research. These fakes and liars make us all look bad, even when we are sincere. My parents — dad 1915–1992 and mama 1915–2002
Others --
ONE
Sam — Thank you for the response. Your statements mirror what my opinion has been based on research, but I was looking for someone of “independent” but of knowledgeable background when it comes to Native American genealogy that might be able to offer an insight. Let’s say that I have a family branch that is putting a significant amount of stock into DNA Consultants results, based upon a questionable oral history, that can be disproved through traditional genealogy, but are militant that we are related in the way that they say that we are. Though, even without the traditional paperwork genealogy proof that people weren’t in the right place at the right time for their version of the history…why the daughter of a Chief would voluntarily (and the “story” is very emphatic that is was voluntary) marry the son of the man that helped murder her father is a big stretch to me.
(Another bit of irony…Donald Yates is actually out of another family branch though not the one with the “family story” comes from)
TWO
I find it hard to believe how people view “ Indian/ Indigenous “ ancestry in the U.S. compared to Hispanic countries. You have people here wanting to have “ Indian “ ancestry and in Hispanic countries every one is proud to say they have a “ European “ ancestor even if they themselves don’t appear to be. It’s warming to see that Indigenous Americans/ Native Americans are proud of it! Their families don’t cover it up! Everyone should be proud of who they are! European, African, Indigenous, etc! It’s who you are!
THREE
You are sooooo right! In Latin countries and in Latin families, it’s frowned upon to be darker complected. And let’s not mention if you’re born with green or blue eyes!!!! Every grandma goes crazy!
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