Ancestry

[bryyzy]

Hahaha I wouldn't mind having a clone be kinda nice hehe

[Vin]

Hahaha I wouldn't mind having a clone be kinda nice hehe

But since I'm older, wouldn't you be the clone

[TwisttheLeaf]

In my case, I'd be concerned about it being ridiculously generic.

50% Southeast Asian
50% European

That's what I mean, yeah? I mean, duh. My father was South Korean. My mother is French.

They would have to give some really narrowed down and -specific- results for it to be worth my while (and my money), you know?

[Sylph]

Oh wow, a fellow Bryan and Italian, so many similarities

But in seriousness, you should! It's rewarding learning about ancestors.

Tho don't forget!

While it's great to research and for the sake and purpose of academia to "restore" your ancestry;

You shouldn't deny or lessen who you are now, which is an American.

It's the view of many cultures that;

If you do not speak the language(s), practice the culture and in some cases, are not born there, you are not ~from~ there.


Far beit for me to comment on Italian people, but I wouldn't want someone saying they're Bermudian, and they cannot speak like us, nor has no connection to here than from a 3x Grandma (which it would have to be, as we operate matrilinealy - I.e has to be a Native Woman).

[Darius]

Haha, maybe :p Except the living in different countries thing haha

Maybe he's your brother from another mother?

[LJay]

Not really tempted to do the DNA thing. Most people are mixed in one way or the other.

We have some family genealogical research that is interesting adn I do wish that I had the energy to take it further. I know there are Scots and English and Germans and Scandinavians. Even went so far back as to find someone in the army of William the Conqueror as well as a 19th-century Preacher-Mississippi riverboat captain, a chief of police and others. Have always found it interesting to know of these people.

[Emiliano]

Tho don't forget!

While it's great to research and for the sake and purpose of academia to "restore" your ancestry;

You shouldn't deny or lessen who you are now, which is an American.

It's the view of many cultures that;

If you do not speak the language(s), practice the culture and in some cases, are not born there, you are not ~from~ there.


Far beit for me to comment on Italian people, but I wouldn't want someone saying they're Bermudian, and they cannot speak like us, nor has no connection to here than from a 3x Grandma (which it would have to be, as we operate matrilinealy - I.e has to be a Native Woman).

You bring up a really interesting point, about what makes a person this or that and how we define ourselves, and what sort of claims we have to our histories. I'm very interested in identity because its something that I've struggled with and thought a lot about in my own life. As the child of immigrants, and being mixed race, it can often feel less like being a part of multiple cultures or races, and more like being a part of neither.

[Sylph]

You bring up a really interesting point, about what makes a person this or that and how we define ourselves, and what sort of claims we have to our histories. I'm very interested in identity because its something that I've struggled with and thought a lot about in my own life. As the child of immigrants, and being mixed race, it can often feel less like being a part of multiple cultures or races, and more like being a part of neither.

I'm not saying no one can not say they're anything they believe they are or know they are:

But simply that for some peoples in this world; the view on nationality and culture, is a very narrow road.


For instance; a lot of Black Americans claim to be "African American", but Africans would never claim them, because they're completely different people.

We had a huge thing about this in our Caribbean Diaspora, as we are closer to Africans, than even "African Americans" and still we're too different to claim heritage to Africa, even tho ultimately that's where we all came from.


Some people do mind you, even here, claim African heritage, but it's usually in a spiritual sense; in that due to our history, that's our "motherland";

But by and large, we only identify under our own denomonym, ans our various sub-cultures and races here.


Ans because our history and culture, like any other, is so rich and deep, I'd of course look sideways at someone who wanted to claim any relation to here.

It's just how we think. Not just me alone.


Tho America and England are more "we're all one, so let's share"

And then you unfortunately get the case that culture and even identities are stolen and erased or even worse, morphed, to the point that now many Americans, such as your self, have a hard time with understanding beyond the PoV of "I was born in America, but who am I/was my people?"

I agree this sort of topic is intriguing tho; as I've always known who and where I came from.

[Emiliano]

I'm not saying no one can not say they're anything they believe they are or know they are:

But simply that for some peoples in this world; the view on nationality and culture, is a very narrow road.


For instance; a lot of Black Americans claim to be "African American", but Africans would never claim them, because they're completely different people.

We had a huge thing about this in our Caribbean Diaspora, as we are closer to Africans, than even "African Americans" and still we're too different to claim heritage to Africa, even tho ultimately that's where we all came from.


Some people do mind you, even here, claim African heritage, but it's usually in a spiritual sense; in that due to our history, that's our "motherland";

But by and large, we only identify under our own denomonym, ans our various sub-cultures and races here.


Ans because our history and culture, like any other, is so rich and deep, I'd of course look sideways at someone who wanted to claim any relation to here.

It's just how we think. Not just me alone.


Tho America and England are more "we're all one, so let's share"

And then you unfortunately get the case that culture and even identities are stolen and erased or even worse, morphed, to the point that now many Americans, such as your self, have a hard time with understanding beyond the PoV of "I was born in America, but who am I/was my people?"

I agree this sort of topic is intriguing tho; as I've always known who and where I came from.

I totally agree with what you're saying. I think the same sort of logic is pretty strong here in NYC too. When I hear someone identify themselves as a New Yorker or you ask where they're from and they say Brooklyn, and then later in the conversation they say something about having moved here 5 years ago... Yeah, side eye.

That issues like race and ethnicity and identity are so prominent in the USA, to me, speaks about our very unique history. We have more or less had a steady stream of immigrants coming here most of our history as a country, but definitely since the early 1800s. Currently, NYC has the largest percentage of foreign born residents than any other city in the world, and historically speaking I think the USA has been the top receiver of immigrants for a long time. So there are a ton of people here that have very short family histories of being American. 100, 150 years isn't a long time in the big picture and so I don't think its all that absurd that many of us still feel a connection to the countries or cultures of our parents / grandparents / great grandparents.

I don't know what its like in your country, but I would guess that your population and immigration levels are probably stagnant in comparison. But correct me if I'm wrong. People are born there, their parents were, their parents were... I mean.. what is there to question about that? And that applies to a lot of countries around the world too.

In the USA, some people have the choice to drop those past identities after being here for a few generations, and they do. Other people choose to keep them and embrace them. And other people, no matter how many generations back their families have been here, have never been fully embraced by the mainstream American culture and identity.

And thats where you get the terms like African American or Asian American or Mexican American or whatever else. Yeah, its partly because of pride in those roots, or a sense of connection to those places, just like there is with people who identify as Italian or Irish American. But it is also a reaction to not being able to just be American.

But no matter who we are talking about, its not about labeling one's self as an African person in America or as an Irish person in America. They are aware they are American. I'm aware that if I went to the countries my parents were from, I wouldn't fit in, people who identify as African Americans are aware of that too.

Terms like that, and the way Americans like to think about where our families are from and who we are and how we fit in, its about recognizing being a part of a racial/ethnic/religious experience that now or historically was considered outside the norm and was not able to assimilate - and to name and honor that experience, and to respect those struggles of their ancestors.

At least thats my perspective on it, as an identity obsessed blasiantino american.

[Sylph]

I totally agree with what you're saying. I think the same sort of logic is pretty strong here in NYC too. When I hear someone identify themselves as a New Yorker or you ask where they're from and they say Brooklyn, and then later in the conversation they say something about having moved here 5 years ago... Yeah, side eye.

That issues like race and ethnicity and identity are so prominent in the USA, to me, speaks about our very unique history. We have more or less had a steady stream of immigrants coming here most of our history as a country, but definitely since the early 1800s. Currently, NYC has the largest percentage of foreign born residents than any other city in the world, and historically speaking I think the USA has been the top receiver of immigrants for a long time. So there are a ton of people here that have very short family histories of being American. 100, 150 years isn't a long time in the big picture and so I don't think its all that absurd that many of us still feel a connection to the countries or cultures of our parents / grandparents / great grandparents.

I don't know what its like in your country, but I would guess that your population and immigration levels are probably stagnant in comparison. But correct me if I'm wrong. People are born there, their parents were, their parents were... I mean.. what is there to question about that? And that applies to a lot of countries around the world too.

In the USA, some people have the choice to drop those past identities after being here for a few generations, and they do. Other people choose to keep them and embrace them. And other people, no matter how many generations back their families have been here, have never been fully embraced by the mainstream American culture and identity.

And thats where you get the terms like African American or Asian American or Mexican American or whatever else. Yeah, its partly because of pride in those roots, or a sense of connection to those places, just like there is with people who identify as Italian or Irish American. But it is also a reaction to not being able to just be American.

But no matter who we are talking about, its not about labeling one's self as an African person in America or as an Irish person in America. They are aware they are American. I'm aware that if I went to the countries my parents were from, I wouldn't fit in, people who identify as African Americans are aware of that too.

Terms like that, and the way Americans like to think about where our families are from and who we are and how we fit in, its about recognizing being a part of a racial/ethnic/religious experience that now or historically was considered outside the norm and was not able to assimilate - and to name and honor that experience, and to respect those struggles of their ancestors.

At least thats my perspective on it, as an identity obsessed blasiantino american.

Now this I find truely intriguing.

Mind you, I dont "Get it", because I dont understand that train of thought;
"My family came to America from Germany, but other than through them, I'm American, but I'm still German".

It doesnt make it all the way up to my "top floor" so to speak, however;

I do admire your passion♡


Bermuda's population... Is heavily multicultural, but in a very different way in comparison to America it seems( well of course );

Because we know exactly who is who, and where the majourities and even minourities came from; we don't have that "urge" to identify outside of being a Bermudian Islander.


Some of us speak English (Broken/Creole), Portuguese and in my case even, a mixture;
But I was not raised like a Brazilian or Person from Portugual or Azores, so the "culture" of our Portuguese, is fairly different.

But we all know our Portuguese is and did come from the Azores.

It impacted our English Rhythm, and overall culture.

We had significant Amerindian culture and still do.


The blend is our foundation, and while immigration is not as heavy as America or Europe, we even now have a rapidly growing Spanish and Hindi speaking population, so much so that young Bermudians are exposed to Hindi.


But we ultimately meld and mesh our cultures and identities, even tho we know;

That's a Azorean man, she's Punjabi and that little boy looks a lil Amerindian.

But even whilst knowing that, the need to label is irrelevant, because odds are if you've lived here your whole life, that's just who you are.

Your past and appearance pose no importance outside of that person's view on their importance. And they too often don't care.


If I spoke Spanish to someone here, they'd mistake me for maybe a Dominican Republic person, tho they can look at me and for the most part see I am from here, as we commonly share traits, mostly around the eyes (akin to how Asians can mark one another as bring different).

Because despite my speaking another language, I still originate from here.

And I've done this several times, the funniest of which is with Japanese, as it's confusing to see a non-asian person speaking it especially here, as it's not a popular language, as a short anecdote.

Perhaps America is simply too diluted a country I suppose. That goes with the territory of your history