Recently, I was informed via email that Nancy Doucet has stated on the White Pines Association (yet another Incorporation) that she's President of, that quote, "Friday, 23 October 2009 10:12 Nancy The White Pine Association is pleased to announce the National Geographic DNA Study is now being posted for those who had their test done on location in Koas area last March. The results are showing a strong identity for those of this area. My DNA and other tribal members clearly shows Native American blood lines. We are pleased this study has helped those people who have had oral family history but could not find the paper trail. As we all know the US Census and other government papers did not allow self identification nor did they do a good job at clearly identifying much of anything except who was in a household. BUT our DNA tells our true story in blood and bone. If anyone needs any help with your results or further questions you are welcome to contact us. Thank you, Nancy Millette Doucet"
So, Nancy Doucet thinks/assumes that DNA testing is going to give her 1. Indian Status 2. Indian Tribal Affliation 3. State or Federal Recognition.
First of all, DNA testing results cannot provide anyone with confirmation of Native American enthnicity, connection to Native American Tribal Status, or the like. Eligibility for Native American rights is ultimately a political and cultural issue that will never be satisfactorily answered by genetics.
So let's take a more serious review of this dynamic of DNA testing for "DNA Markers" that might indicate Native American Ancestry.
1 through 5 Documents: (In "red" is my commentary)
In the PDF article I have attached to this posting, by TallBear and Bolnick (one can google for this PDF article like I did) it states on Page 2, "Because tribal and Federal Law focus on tribal group relations, cultural continuity, and a tribal land-base, many individuals with Native American biological ancestors are nonetheless ineligible for federally-recognized tribal status or tribal enrollment. When the Laws fail to recognize them as ethnically Native American, these individuals (like Nancy nee: Millette - Doucet and these so-called Abenaki Incorporated groups) may turn to DNA testing. For example, after failing to meet Federal Recognition standards, a group calling themselves the "Western Mohegan Tribe and Nation" attempted to use DNA analysis to prove their Native American identity (like Nancy Millette - Doucet and these so-called Abenaki Incorporated groups) in order to get into the gaming business. Although their efforts were unsuccessful, hopes of gaming profits may motivate others (like Nancy nee: Millette - Doucet and these alleged so-called Abenaki Incorporated groups) to seek recognition in this manner, and tribal sovereignty could be undermined as a result.
On Document Page 4 of this posting "The science of Native American DNA testing" it clearly states, "The tests fail to detect Native American ancestry in individuals with Native American ancestors, and incorrectly identify it (Native American ancestry) in others who do not have such ancestors."
"Secondly, DNA tests may certify some individuals as having Native American ancestry when in fact they do not."
"In fact, not all "Native American" (DNA) markers used in the DNA tests are actually found ONLY in Native Americans. Some of the (DNA) markers are most common in Native American populations, so ANY individual with those markers most likely has Native American ancestry. But because such markers can still be found in non-Native American populations, just at lower frequencies, Native American DNA tests may falsely identify some individuals as having Native American ancestry."
Of course, now that Nancy Doucet has had her DNA testing done, I am wondering who did the testing (the lab work) and how does one confirm that it was actually her DNA sample that was tested? What IF Nancy Doucet took someone else's DNA sample, used it as her own (such as Walter Watso for example), turned it into the National Genographic Project, and her name is on the sample, so therefore the DNA testing results would come back that she is a Native American descendant?! Again, Nancy Millette-Doucet may say and proclaim that her DNA allegedly coming from her blood and bone samples alleged proves her so-called "Native American" ancestry. Perhaps Nancy Millette-Doucet would be advised to send me, in the mail, the very documents she recieved from this DNA testing lab, etc.; or have that particular DNA testing lab send me the results of the kit itself?
Yet ultimately, how does one know for a fact that it was even Nancy Millette-Doucet's DNA that was actually tested, unless it was done by a doctor in a hospital with witnesses present at the time of the proceedure being done? For example, I could get a DNA kit from National Genographic too. I could get one of my Native friends to give me their cheek-swab sample, put my name to the DNA kit, send it back to the folks at National Genographic Project, and subsequently the DNA testing results would alleged confirm I was "Native American".
Here's another website page regarding Kim Tallbear, Phd. that I think readers of this blog will find interesting. http://www.manataka.org/page267.html http://www.utexas.edu/features/2007/ancestry/http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/07/02_dna.shtml http://www.ipcb.org/publications/briefing_papers/files/identity.html
What I think people need to realize is that DNA testing can be a useful tool, yet it is not the definitive answer some people are led to believe that it allegedly is. Even IF Nancy Millette-Doucet has allegedly DNA markers that are most commonly found in the Native American population on the North American continent, how is one to determine how far back that alleged Native American ancestor lived? 500 years ago, 2500 years ago, even farther back into time itself? Again, DNA testing results are not definitive answers to much of anything. It certainly doesn't show and provide any evidence that her ancestry was or is Cowasuck Abenaki, let alone actually from Native American People's. Like the ol' days of the West where a sleek well dressed Snake-Oil Cure-All Salesman with a bottle of b.s. in one hand and a Eugenics Bible in the other, DNA Companies are selling these DNA kits proclaiming that by comparing a persons DNA test results to their particular databases, they can tell that person if their DNA markers INDICATE Native American ancestry.
Now, let's explore WHY Nancy Doucet and her created White Pine Association "members" are doing this genetic testing to allegedly prove their alleged "Native American" ancestry, in the next posting on this blog.
