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Ancient DNA from skeletons buried in a historical cemetery in Quebec is altering individuals’s understanding of their Indigenous origins. Contrary to common belief, there might be little reality to stories of intermarriage in between Indigenous and French individuals throughout the early days of colonization, according to a brand-new archaeology research study released Oct. 5 in the journal PNAS

“Family stories of an Indigenous ancestor are very common” in Quebec, research study very first author Diane Martin-Moyaa biological anthropologist at the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières in Canada, informed Live Science in an e-mail, and “commercial genealogy and DNA tests have amplified this.” Far-off or declared Indigenous identities can really weaken the rights, resources and acknowledgment of Indigenous countries, she stated.

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