Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Genealogy Discovery Ignites Nasty Family Conflict


Honestly, it sounds like there were some folks in this family that could've benefited from not making assumptions about their ancestry, and then proceeding to carve a whole lifestyle out of it. It can really pay off in the long run to just do your research, before making those big moves, like assuming you're Native American when you're actually Eastern European. Hopefully, this family was able to put their differences aside, quell the rage, and ultimately make up. 

Check out some more ancestry kit drama with this family that got blindsided by a shocking ancestry kit revelation. 

1.

Text - AITA for making potentially "embarrassing" family genealogy discoveries visible on Ancestry.com? Not the A-hole I've been the extended family's amateur genealogist for more than 20 years. I've built an enormous family tree on Ancestry.com. Names and details on all living people are hidden (unless I give special permission to someone). Info on deceased people is visible.

2.

Text - Like a lot of American families, there's a persistent myth that we have some Native American heritage. My late paternal grandmother told us that she was descended from a French soldier who married a Native American woman. Well, Grandma (who was a very sweet lady) made this up. She was orphaned at age 2 and didn't even remember her biological parents. Maybe she just wanted an origin story? I figured out who her biological parents were earlier this year by triangulating my DNA matches and s

3.

Text - I'd actually forgotten about the Native American stories. My dad is no longer alive, but I shared this info with his brother, my uncle. He thanked me but asked, "Are you 100% SURE there's no Indians [his word, not mine] in our tree?" Yep, 100% sure, I told him. He responded, "Well, Ronny [fake name] isn't gonna like hearing that." Ronny is my cousin – I haven't seen him since we were kids -- and he apparently took the Native American thing to heart. He went out and got a bunch of tattoos

4.

Text - I had and have NO intention of telling anybody in Ronny's world that this is untrue. But he did not take the news well. His dad shared my number and I got a text from Ronny telling me to take down any info about our family origin immediately. I responded no, and reassured him that his name wasn't displayed and his secret was safe with me. I'm not trying to "out" anybody as anything. I don't share findings on Facebook and you'd really have to dig through the Ancestry.com tree and know what

5.

Text - I'm sorry Ronny didn't have the foresight to do his own research before "going native," but I don't think I'm an AH for accurately representing our family history where someone else could see it. Or am l? 1 7.2k 3 1, Share 825

6.

Text - Thia_M • 1d • Asshole Aficionado [15] NTA. It was a huge thing, back in the day, for grandparents to tell family we were part native American. I have no idea why. My mom's side was "Cherokee". We aren't and are as white as could be. We are Irish, English, and German with a little Russian thrown in. Reply 1 2.5k , ...

7.

Text - username2-4-3-7 • 1d • Asshole Enthusiast [6] This reminds me of a TIFU story about a white guy who adopted an asian baby. He jumped neck deep into Chinese culture. The kiddo went to a cantonese immersion school. Got Chinese aunties and uncles who took him to China to engage with his heritage. White Dad was so proud of his son and his support for his son's heritage. Then when filling out some kind of scholarship paperwork for college, dad had to fish out the original adoption paperwork...

8.

Text - StAlvis • 1d • Professor Emeritass [97] NTA Like a lot of American families, there's a persistent myth that we have some Native American heritage. "I've got some Indian in me" was the earlier generation's "but l've got a black friend!" | Reply 1 1.1k 3 ...

9.

Text - jrobin99 • 1d NTA. I do genealogy too and WOW I can't believe the amount of people who cling to that old Indian blood story! What is with that?? I heard the same story from my Dad's side. Did some poking around and found lots of people linking to names and graves apparently all made up! First rule of genealogy is to back everything up with proof. Your relative might have started with the hope of having Indian blood before DNA existed. It was easier back then to claim...whole lot harder no

10.

Text - SnooWoofers4721 • 1d • Partassipant [1] NTA Ronny should have checked and double checked before he based his lifestyle on a story. Good for you for standing up for yourself. Reply 6.5k

11.

Text - Deus-system-failed • 1d NTA my mom did something similar a few years back, my grandmother claimed her father was a Native American and that's why her skin tone was so dark. Well my mom did some digging because she heavily doubted it, well it wasn't a big secret that my great grandmother was a Gypsy immigrant but she was the only one who DIDN'T LIE. My mother is 96% Greek Romoni, my entire family on my mother's side are Gypsies and super racist against Gypsies even claiming "All Gypsies ar

12.

Text - hmcfuego • 1d NTA, but my family is actually on the tribal rolls with family ON THE REZ and my DNA came back with absolutely 0 NA. Reply 1 15 < ...

13.

Text - west_to_southwest • 1d When you remove your cousin's over the top aggressive behavior, this story actually highlights an important issue: genetic privacy. Currently, it is absolutely your right to share genetic results and what not with the world; however, because your family shares genetics, you are sharing other people's genetic results/information with the world too. I can absolutely imagine a case where a family member doesn't necessarily want their genetic information broadcast to th

14.

Text - coconutshave • 1d • Asshole Aficionado [18] NTA–I understand it sucks for Ronny but he had no right to swear at your or make demands. You didn't do anything wrong to get or share the info. Who knows if gran lied. He knew it was possible it was just a story and l'm sure his Native friends did, too- so even if grandma was the granddaughter of a Native woman, that's what? 1/16th? Isn't the joke that every white American claims to be 1/16th Cherokee? Hard to imagine he told the truth and no o

15.

Text - thestingofthemonarch • 1d • Partassipant [1] NTA Facts don't make you an asshole, no matter who doesn't like them. Its not like you made a callout post calling him white, he just hates it and thinks that by hiding/censoring actual information it'll somehow make him something he isn't. Also it's YOUR heritage too, your uncle and most certainly Ronny doesn't own you. Q Reply 46 ...

16.

Text - loligo_pealeii • 1d NTA. It's kind of you to try to hide this and not out Ronny but it's not your fault your genealogical history didn't turn out to be what he wanted. Also, your grandmother was adopted at 2. Ronny had to know there was a good chance her stories weren't accurate. He seriously thinks a 2 year old had a good idea of her family heritage? Also, you're not the only one with a dumbass cousin. Mine got a giant Blackfoot symbol tattooed on her chest and neck at age 18. One too ma

17.

Text - voxetpraetereanihill • 1d NTA. He's not named, and I seriously doubt anyone's going to go digging. My family tree has been done back to the 1600s on both sides. We've got horse thieves, bigamists, Scottish rebels, Nazi officers, you name it - and all those skeletons are rattling around online for anyone who cares. Except no one cares. lol Reply 4 3 3 ...

18.

Text - adlittle • 19h • Partassipant [1] NTA. My family did this nonsense too (though thankfully no one turned it into an actual identity). Got the dna testing and confirmed we are like 100% English. The best part was, I got accused of being racist for saying this was all bullshit back in the day. No, l'd be proud of whatever heritage turned up, but there's WAY TOO MANY annoying white people who want to claim the romance and intensely American origin of being Native American, but without having

19.

Text - toughdog18 • 1d NTA. He's mad because you're exposing his lie. He may well have believed in it, but the truth can hurt. It's unfortunate that this lie is part of his identity. This is why he's defending the lie so aggressively. But that doesn't mean you should take your own info down. He doesn't have to look at it if he doesn't like it. Your uncle is 100% wrong on all levels. Let him be 'disappointed.' What I don't understand is how Ronny found out. Did the "disappointed" uncle take it up

20.

Text - Ok_Entrepreneur6273 • 1d NTA. He should apologize to the community. It's not wrong that he was mislead it's wrong that he doesn't want to face the truth and the music. Reply Vote

21.

Text - RexIsAMiiCostume • 1d NTA. I KNOW where my little bit of Native ancestry comes from and I didn't go out and get tattoos of a local tribe that I'm not even descendant of... Cause I know it's too far back to matter. Reply Vote ...

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