What Color Are Your Jeans/Genes ?

"A traveler from an antique land...lives within us all," claims Bryan Sykes, a professor of genetics at Oxford University.

The photograph displayed today is a college-aged group celebrating Halloween 2008 (Cal State University, Sacramento). My niece, Ally Elizabeth Armijo, is the one pictured in the tie-dye t-shirt. It's nice to see a HAPPY photograph. I felt like sharing this one as the smiles may be contagious. I excitedly discovered this photo from a FACEBOOK Photo ensemble belonging to Denae Davis (hopefully she won't mind that I used it for my blog).

It is coincidental how I wrote my DNA tidbit blog yesterday. Today, in the NY Times there is an article, TEST SHOWS SPAIN'S ETHNIC MIX (Gene Test Shows Spain's Jewish and Muslim Mix).

I am actually part of 3 different DNA group studies (ARMIJO surname, NEW MEXICO DNA, and the IBERIAN PENINSULA Project). I am one of 626 individuals (as of today) in this IBERIAN PENINSULA Study project that is open to those who's Y-DNA (father's father's father's...) or Mt-DNA (mother's mother's mother's...) line extends to Spain, Portugal, and/or Andorra (Iberian Peninsula). It is hopeful that this DNA project will discover the different people who made a mark on all of us who have roots on the Iberian Peninsula.
(http://www.familytreedna.com/public/IberianDNA)

The NY Times article states that the genetic signatures of people in Spain and Portugal provide new evidence of the mass conversions of Sephardic Jews and Muslims to Catholicism in the 15th and 16th centuries after Christian armies wrested Spain back from Muslim control (per a team of geneticists reports). It seems 20% of the population of the Iberian Peninsula have Sephardic Jewish ancestry and 11% have DNA reflecting Moorish ancestors. It is another great example of what we are learning from all of this DNA research. Impressive!

Around the late 1990's I had heard about a maternal New Mexico Leyba cousin who visited the Washington DC National Archives. He learned that one of my Spanish Great Great grandmothers was shown to have arrived by boat into America with Sephardic Jewish heritage 'way back when'. I still do not know which grandmother exactly. However, when I read this kind of information from geneticists research findings I find it most fascinating. It encourages me to research further for more answers.

Yesterday, my dear friend, Brenda, who commented on my blog recommended a book by Bryan Sykes called THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF EVE. That is where I found the first line quote by Sykes (above). I added the book to my WISH LIST at Amazon.com. It sounds like a book that is right up my alley.

Please feel free to comment and make recommendations on all of my forthcoming or past blogs. I rely on your input and suggestions.

It is time to depart and meet dear friends over at the Museum of Modern ART in New York City. I will likely find some photo opportunities and brush shoulders with unknown relatives. Smiles.