Warning: You need to be aware that giving agencies access to your DNA records has the potential of unforeseen consequences. The US State Department has given warnings about giving away your DNA records and how nefarious governments my try to obtain it to use it against you in the future. Thoroughly research the risks and use your own judgement when deciding if giving away your DNA is a good idea for you.
So, you just had your Ancestry DNA, 23 and Me, My Heritage DNA, or one of the many other tests that tell you where your forbearers lived. You now know that you are 64% northern European, no surprise there, 12 percent Romanian, “thank you Bunica Florea!”, along with a number of small percentages from a few surprising locals, including that very intriguing 3% from Mongolia. Now that you have this amazing information, what are you supposed to do with it? It could just sit in your inbox, or in a drawer for years, occasionally working itself into conversation. Or, you could really do something unique and exciting with this new found knowledge. Here are ten suggestions on how to make that DNA data even more valuable to you.
1) Tell Your Family- Of course this is a no-brainer, but there are better ways of sharing it with your family than simply calling them up and saying, “So, I guess we are 5% French.” Tell your family in a way that is going to be memorable and fun for them. Invite them over, have a map out, look up info about the different places with you all there together. It’s hard to make time to see our families some times. Outside of major holidays it often just doesn’t happen. Use this DNA discovery as an excuse to share a moment, learn some new things about your shared heritage, and talk about how this information affects what you think about yourself and your family’s story.
2) Have an Ancestry Dinner Party- Now that you know where you hail from, you might have some heritage from places you know nothing about. This could be the perfect opportunity to explore a whole new world of culinary delight. Find out the best and most popular foods from the countries or regions that produced your ancestors. Eat the food they ate. Make this into a party. Have friends over and have them sample dishes tied to your heritage. If some friends of yours have also had their DNA tests done, combine the party and make it a group effort. Have people guess where each dish is from and who has that ancestry. This is a great way to try some new foods and feel a connection to your roots.
3) Research the Places Your Ancestors Lived- Once you learn about your connection to these faraway places, you are going to want to find out about them. Geography isn’t most people’s strongest subject. Do a little research. Find out about the history of the places. Learn about their typography, climate, and environments. Study the kinds of people those places produce. What would it have been like to live there in the past? Researching details such as this can give you a deeper appreciation for the places and your ancestors who lived there.
4) View the Places Your Ancestors are From on Google Earth- One of the easiest things you can do is get on Google Earth and zoom into the places identified in your DNA test. Our modern technology gives us the ability to virtually walk the streets nearly everywhere on earth. Taking this cyber stroll can put things in perspective. It makes those places more real. Once you are scrolling through the streets, these places stop being an abstract thought, and become an actual place people live…and a place that fostered your roots.
5) Do Some Genealogical Research- Once you know where you come from you are going to want to know who you come from. The best way to do this is to do some genealogical research. The idea of researching your ancestry can be kind of daunting. It doesn’t need to be though. There are so many advanced tools that are easy to use. Ancestry.com has an easy to use interface with powerful searching ability. You will be surprised how much info you will be able to find in no time. If nothing else, start asking your parents and grandparents about the places in your DNA results. They may know more about those connections than you think. Start asking, start researching, you will find treasures you never knew where there.
6) Hire a Genealogist- For some people, doing their own family history research is simply too overwhelming, or they just don’t have the time. In situations like this you can always hire a genealogist to do your research for you. These professionals are highly skilled and can do wonders with just a little information up front. Their abilities really pay off fast. Sometimes in a few days you can go from knowing nearly nothing about your ancestry to having a good sized family tree growing. It is important to hire someone with the proper training and experience to get the most out of your money.
7) Visit Places Where Your Ancestors Lived- Heritage tourism is starting to become a big deal. More and more travel companies are offering heritage tours to help people experience their roots in person. This is the most immersive way to see where you come from. Some tour companies let you customize your tour to find the homes your ancestors lived in and the cemeteries where they are laid to rest. Trips such as this would be something you will never forget and one that could connect you to your ancestors like nothing else.
8) Find Cultural Events For the Cultures of Your Ancestors- Learning about your ancestry may reveal that you have roots from cultures you know nothing about. Everywhere your ancestry takes you has rich cultural backgrounds you should know about and experience. In most major cities there are often cultural events for many countries around the world. Seek these events out and experience them. See the dress, food, dance, and other cultural elements that your ancestors may have known. If you belong to that culture you should know about it and connect with it on some level.
9) Read Classic Literature from the Countries of Your Ancestors- If someone wanted to learn about our modern culture today they might turn to mediums such as TV, movies, or streaming services to see stories that represent our culture. In the past the best medium that reflected the culture of the time and place was literature. There are great works of literature from every country your DNA test might indicate. Reading some of that culture’s great works of literature can give you a window into your ancestors’ world. Through books you can get a glimpse of the culture, attitudes, troubles, and triumphs familiar to your ancestors. This is a rewarding way to grasp your heritage.
10) Reflect on the Sacrifices Your Ancestors Made and the Advantages They Gave You- Your ancestors lives were not easy. Giving them a few minutes of reflection is a way to pay respect to the sacrifices they made so you can be where and who you are today. You are the ultimate result of the lives they lived. The places they were from shaped them, which in turn has shaped you. No matter how distant your DNA may go back to their places of origin, those places are a part of you. Think about those places, the people that came before you, and how the advantages you have today are a result of the places and people of the past.
Modern DNA technology has given us the gift of knowledge. We can use that give to build on that knowledge and use it to enrich our lives. It is great to know where your ancestors were from, it is even better to use that knowledge to strengthen our roots and expand our legacy.
