How a DNA test revealed my heritage

SOUTH Africa is home to a rich array of cultures and this can be seen in the vast variety of clothes, cuisine, dance, and customs in this melting pot we call home.

Berea Mail’s journalist, Danica Hansen jumps into how she has since learnt to embrace her heritage after a DNA test:

While I’ve learned a lot about other cultures over the years, most of my knowledge about my own heritage comes from books and articles. If I had to emigrate to the country of my ancestors today, I’d be a stranger in many ways.

Also read: What I love most about my heritage

I don’t speak their languages and I don’t know much about their customs or the way they live, day by day. With relatives from across Europe, I also don’t know exactly which group I belong to – my identity is stitched together with loose threads from family stories.

So, last year, I took a My Heritage DNA test to see what my DNA could tell me about my roots. As the package arrived, so too did the Covid-19 pandemic. Months went by before I could send my DNA sample off to the lab. By the time my results arrived, eight months later, I had all but forgotten about my quest. As I poured over the results, I found out that I have ancestors in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Germany.

This was broader than I thought. With German grandparents who emigrated to South Africa in the 1950s, and a surname like ‘Hansen’, I knew I had German and Danish roots, but Eastern Europe never crossed my radar. I delved into articles on these cultures, identifying with some aspects, observing other traits like an outsider. I read all about the colorful Slavic rituals of Eastern Europe, identified with Danish values like simplicity and equality and learned about the homeland of my grandparents. 

Also read: Celebrate cultural heritage at Phansi Museum

My DNA test showed me that my heritage is far from my home where I borrow words from other languages, wear clothes from other cultures and eat dishes far from the distant lands of my ancestors. When I cook, I reach for dhania and jeera, turmeric and masala, a far cry from the Smørrebrød (open sandwich) and Bratkartoffel (fried potatoes) of my Danish and German forefathers.

While I inherited my DNA from my ancestors, my tastes and preferences are influenced by the cultures I find on my doorstep. Isn’t that the Heritage Day message? It’s a day for South Africans to embrace diversity- when Bunny chow, Shisa nyama, boerewors and even Smørrebrød are all at the braai.