Genetic Genealogy Inference among Kassena Ghanaians and Their Diaspora Multiple Generations after the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Abstract

Genetic genealogy holds immense promise for families and communities affected by large-scale displacement. For members of the historic African diaspora, details about African family histories during or before the transatlantic slave trade remain largely elusive due to the disruptive nature of slavery. Meanwhile, residents of the Nania village in Paga, Ghana, recount historical narratives about local and international slavery, though these narratives lack specifics after the captives were trafficked from Ghana’s shores. Phase 1 of our project estimates genetic relatedness among residents of northern Ghana to prepare for future research connecting these genetic trees with their diasporic relatives. Among 35 Ghanaian participants, we observed a relatively high mean total DNA shared (220.0 cM). Among their +6,000 unique genetic relatives in the AncestryDNA database, the mean identical by descent segment sharing was 11 cM. This indicates that our participants have genealogical links with individuals in the African diaspora. An estimated 13 to 14 generations to the most recent common ancestor based on sharing 11 cM aligns with the timeframe of the transatlantic slave trade. This genetic data forms the basis for Phase 2, where we will build densely sampled genetic family trees connecting Ghanaians and their historic diasporic relatives.