Oprah’s DNA Test
Speaking of DNA testing to trace your ancestry, Oprah Winfrey took the plunge and submitted her DNA for analysis. Based on the results, she claims to be a member of the Zulu tribe in South Africa. Unfortunately, historical evidence doesn’t back her up. (Sify, July 1, 2005)
According to historians, few records show that the tribe was involved in the North American slave trade. Africans who became slaves in North America, in particular the American South, were mostly from West Africa.
“I hate to tell Oprah this, but she is sorely mistaken,” Zulu leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was quoted as saying.
If I were Oprah, I’d be asking for my money back.
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POSTED IN: Genealogy and DNA
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17 opinions for Oprah’s DNA Test
Franklin Wade
Jul 3, 2005 at 10:43 pm
I totally agree. Most people watch CSI:ANYTHING and think that Western science has solved all the riddles of DNA and that the slightest bit of it allows any scientist with a modicum knowledge of biology to unlock all the mysteries it holds. Indeed, we know so very little about the double helixes within our cells that simultaneously divide and unite all humanity.
Thus with such limited understanding, only a massive databse of all humans– past and present — could help researchers to give oprah such a concrete conclusion. My guess is that Oprah, like so many of us when it comes to families, only wanted to be told what she wanted to hear. It’s no secret that Oprah loves South Africa, and I think she would pay anything to "know" that she’s descended from one of their tribes.
Just as many white Americans would pay anything to know that their descended from European Aristocracy.
Can we blame her though? If I had the money, I’d pay anything to know I was directly descended from Clovis!
Lei
Jul 4, 2005 at 12:28 am
Franklin, You’re right on about Oprah and people’s desires to be special. I’m such a philistine; I had to look up who Clovis was!
OSINACHI
Jul 4, 2005 at 8:42 am
I know that Oprah’s ancestors came from Nigeria in West Africa and in fact they are of my tribe Ibo. Oprah looks like my aunt. Nose and gait and all.
Lei
Jul 4, 2005 at 9:17 pm
That’s a very interesting observation, OSINACHI!
Walter Fox
Oct 12, 2005 at 10:15 pm
Becuase of the controversy about the results of Oprah’s DNA test perhaps she might want to get a "second opinion" from another lab. If the result is the same, a broader and more complex history of the slave trade should be considered. Slave trading was conducted much further down the west coast of Africa than just the " Guinea Coast".
Lei
Oct 12, 2005 at 10:28 pm
Walter, Thanks for the comment. I absolutely agree that Oprah should probably consult another lab which may have a different set of data for comparison. And, if possible, she should combine the results of her DNA tests with good ol’ fashioned paper-based genealogy.
Mulbah Clinton
Feb 17, 2006 at 3:15 am
I think Oprah should see reason to believe that she is truly a West African by ancestry link done by DNA testing. I also want to believe that she is from Liberia Bong County where the Kpelle tribe lives.
She should come home and see her people some day. She may not want to believe it but that is the fact. There are also some things in common with her and the kpelle people base on her show.
Thanks and come home.
Saye
Mar 12, 2006 at 12:38 pm
Mulbah, I strongly agree with you. Moreover I was proud to learn that such a strong woman who have made many positive changes in lives of others whether poverty, or making dream come true around the world, ancestors descended from Liberia.
L .I. B forever
Deb
Aug 7, 2006 at 9:08 pm
Maybe she needs to take another DNA test
Genetics and Health » GeneBase DNA Ancestry Project
Nov 22, 2006 at 1:31 pm
[…] After the doubts raised by the Government Accountability Office over at-home nutrigenetic DNA tests, I think similar quality checks should be done on companies offering ancestral DNA tests. After all, if Oprah could get duped, what chance do the rest of us have of getting accurate genetic genealogy results? […]
Emeka
Apr 27, 2007 at 8:50 pm
I have watched Oprah’s Zulu claims with much amusement. I do not blame her because she does not not know Africans very well.
But all I can say is that she looks nothing like a Zulu she is definitely West African.
But we all love what she is doing for Africa.Maybe she should also help Liberia.
God Bless her
Rose Beharrie
May 13, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I believe they did do paper work with Oprah’s DNA test because they found her trace of DNA in other African countries. The reason giving is that people marry, people move, some are not going to stay at the same place, so they supplimented her DNA test with paper work and found that the slaves who arrived at a certain port in America where they felt her family originated, came from that particuliar tribe in Liberia. Trust me the term that black American’s use sister and brother to greet each other is as I see it an exact term. Look at it like this we could be wedding our own close family and do not even know it. Who knows why so many black Americans are suffering from sickle cell anemia. We may be having children with someone who is a close relative in our blood line.
joshua
Jul 28, 2007 at 12:39 am
I believe Oprah knows the truth about where she came from, our hope is inside us not Oprah peeps, she grew out of poverty and horrible past and surely we will do the same….Oprah,watch the space!
jaali hotep
Aug 1, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Whatever Oprah’s roots are she should be proud, I just don’t like the arrogance of africans why is Oprah so far from looking like Zulu, Zulus should be happy they don’t have anything else going besides Shaka Zulu and the Zulu war in the 1800’s, and Africans need not to be so arrogant because they are responsible for our slavery, todays Africans are nothing but descendants of slave holders and they have the nerve to hold their nose up in the air and as far as Iam concerned they are right there with white slave holders so slow down arrogant Africans(Zulus) African americans are the strongest and bravest of our race(African)
Gonda Watson
Oct 13, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Can u help me get dna testing done in Libria that where child and mother live. The child mother is giving me a hard time and I will liked some assistant on seeing if that child is mines. I live in North Carolina.
Thanks!
Chea.Bricks
Jun 18, 2008 at 1:36 am
It is very unlikely that Oprah’s ancestry is South Africa. Minus DNA, West Africa is place to suspect. With DNA, West African countries from Senegal-Sierra Leone-Ivory Coast-Ghana_Benin_Togo-Nigeria_Cameron belt should be strongly looked at. The farthest being Congo. During the slave trade, the trip to South Africa from America would have been the longest trip. S. Africa I do highly doubt and very unlikely though not impossible.
There’s a book, “Mississippi in Africa” I recommend for Oprah to read.
Do Americans really not know what 'Africans' look like?? - Page 2 - The BN Village
Jul 1, 2008 at 3:30 pm
[…] Oprah Winfrey’s ancestors belong to the Kpelle tribe in the West African nation of Liberia. Oprah’s DNA Test […]
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