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Upington's West African (Bantu) Ancestry
Many people in Southern Africa have ancestors that migrated from West and East Africa 300-1,500 years ago during the Bantu Expansion.
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 Upington, approximately 30% of their ancestry is West African. Their Bantu ancestors are very similar to the Yoruba Population.
Gumuz
Himba
Upington
In this diagram, you can see how the West African ancestry of the people in Upington is drawn close (and therefore more similar) to the West African ancestry in Himba population than the Gumuz population.
Zulu
Himba
Upington
You can see that the West African ancestry of the people in Upington is even more similar to the West African ancestry in Zulu populations than Himba populations.
Zulu
Yoruba
Upington
And, the West African ancestry of the people in Upington is more similar to the West African ancestry in Yoruba populations than Zulu populations.
Himba
Zulu
Yoruba
Gumuz
Upington
Putting this all together, the West African ancestry for the people in Upington 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 of connectedness cwith the Upington and Yoruba ancestors sharing a branch most recently.
Himba
Zulu
Yoruba
Gumuz
Upington
Common ancestors of all West African populations as of ~80,000 Years ago
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