Found out I’m mixed race not white

[NewHeritage]

Long story short but an online dna test has discovered one of my parents isn’t biologically my parent. I have found the name of my biological parent and also talked to other “new” relatives online after making contact with them.

I now have a slightly daft question……I don’t know what “race” my parent was. I mean I do, but I don’t know the name/label/category. They were South American, from (British) Guyana and an indigenous American. So what race are indigenous Americans from South America?

Not Latino as British Guyana I don’t think is a Latino country. Not Afro-Caribbean as they weren’t from Africa or the Caribbean (though there is some African ancestry in the mix according to my dna results which makes sense as there were a lot of African slaves in Guyana in the past. So my dna results are like 50% European, 5% African and 45% Indo-american. But is indo-american a race?

This book was useful when I was studying WI history (Arawak’s and Caribs are Amerindians - the islands were populated and interacted with each other but western genocide reduced the numbers)

https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/jan-rogozinski/brief-history-of-the-caribbean/9780452281936?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=18129456947&cq_con=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&gclid=CjwKCAjwscGjBhAXEiwAswQqNCsnm0UvnG6pvoJ9UgX8FBZ7ut-OYDM8W1SpUySmOHN2Xqs9HH_lYRoCRUYQAvD_BwE#GOR010178162

Hiya, I rounded up and didn’t bother listing all the odd 1-2%s for ease of posting but yes there’s French, North African, Nigerian, Irish, Scottish in there as well. I certainly plan to read more about Guyana, sounds a fascinating place.

I have a Guyanese friend who describes herself as West Indian. Not sure what her racial heritage is though, I guess that may make a difference.

Thanks, just ordered a second hand copy of this off Amazon.

If someone asked me my ancestry I'd say I am a person of Native American and White ancestry.

Personally I like the term used in Canada, First Nations, as it separates us from the term 'American'. My ancestors were here long before 'America' was a place name.

My understanding is that people from south of the US use the term 'indígenas' or 'nativos' as the 'old' term 'indio' can be offensive.

I know you have posted this for my answers than questions but erm, it's alot to discover @NewHeritage! How are you holding out? You say your parents have passed away, but have you got people to talk to and process this with?
Sorry I've nothing to add, just hoping you're alright, must be a huge shock to discover you've a new parent and you've a whole new heritage to navigate.
Just sending love really ❤

Should say more answers, not my!

See, it's very diverse in British Guyana, it is part of the west indies: https://study.com/learn/lesson/guyana-ethnicity-demographics.html

Guyana is on the mainland of South America, but it leans culturally towards the West Indies. Guyanese people tend to talk in a similar accent to people from places like Jamaica. My friend is native Guyanese and identifies as 'pure blood Arawak'. He was once in a pub where Jamaicans drink and one of them told he was the only true Jamaican in the place. Black Jamaicans used to Arawak people 'red-legs'.

Be interesting to see which bits of your genetic heritage come from where. Ofc most likely the African bits are on the Guyanese side, but this chap's descendents still live near Birmingham!

Anyway best of luck.

Been talking to friends about it. But I literally have no relatives alive in the world that I was in contact with before this. Aunts and uncles are dead, I’ve got two cousins who I haven’t seen in 20 years. Oh actually one of those isn’t even my cousin anymore 🙈. But thanks, I’m doing ok. Shocked but bit excited

Sounds like you’re part Indigenous American.
Thats possibly part Sioux, Cherokee, Apache and so on.

How exciting.

This is both wrong AND ridiculous.

Oh race doesn't matter, we're all the same ,its ackshully really simple...... tell me you're a white middle class person living in the country of your birth without telling me....

Who is that please? I’ve got new dna matches in Lichfield who are from Guyana but we’re born here.

Wrong America.

I think the North American indigenous people are very different

How did I miss that….thanks for correcting me!

But the OP hasn’t faced any ‘difficulties’ of that sort, she didn’t even know she was ‘mixed race’ until she a laboratory test told her.

I find this determined divisiveness really very sad.

Oh the faux sadness "its so divisive and sad" <daily mail sad face>

I bet you say shit like "I don't see colour" as well.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Barber

Well that goes without saying but OP is interested, quite rightly, in finding out more about her heritage and the correct term for where half of her family are from.

What a shock OP, hope you’re dealing with it ok.
(My DNA results were very boring, I was hoping for a long lost ancestor from a far flung part of the world but just the UK and a tiny bit of NW Europe came up).

My cousin’s Dad was from Guyana and his family originally came from the Indian subcontinent

Who said it was divisive? Literally nobody on this thread! If you had mixed racial identity yourself (and knew you did), you might think like many of it that it's actually pretty cool and liberating!

Wow OP how are you feeling? What a journey to go on and to be from Native Americans. So much to learn and understand. This is your blood! This is amazing!!!!!

Determined divisiveness?! What?!

Your first post was totally offensive! Meaningless indeed. 😦