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Brandvlei's West African Ancestry
Many people in Southern Africa have ancestors that migrated from West and East Africa 300-1,500 years ago. In South Africa today, many groups can trace a majority of their ancestry from West Africa 1,000 years ago, including the Zulu, Xhosa, Owambo, and others. Some groups, like the Herero, Himba, and Damara migrated from West Africa some 300 years ago.
For people in Brandvlei, approximately 15% of their ancestry is West African. Their Bantu ancestors are very similar to that within the Yoruba Population.
Gumuz
Himba
Brandvlei
Zulu
Brandvlei
Himba
Zulu
Brandvlei
Yoruba
Brandvlei
Himba
Zulu
Yoruba
Gumuz
In this diagram, you can see how the West African ancestry of the people in Brandvlei is more similar to the West African ancestry in Himba populations than Gumuz populations.
Furthermore, you can see that the West African ancestry of the people in Brandvlei is more similar to the West African ancestry in Zulu populations than Himba populations.
Building off of that, the West African ancestry of the people in Brandvlei is more similar to the West African ancestry in Yoruba populations than Zulu populations.
Putting this all together, the West African ancestry for the people in Brandvlei is most similar to Yoruba populations, then Zulu populations, then Himba populations, and least similar to Gumuz populations.
Another way to think about how all the West African groups are connected throughout time is to imagine a tree/stream of connectedness.
Brandvlei
Himba
Zulu
Yoruba
Gumuz
Common Ancestor of all West African populations as of 120,000 Years ago
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