NATIONWIDE — Research by Maria Nieves Colon, a researcher affiliated with Arizona State University, found a genetic link between modern-day Puerto Ricans and Taino people, an ancient indigenous tribe thought extinct after European colonialism.
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1. The research team worked on this project for 10 years. They used DNA samples from skeletal remains that were about 600 to 1,000 years old from 124 individuals in order to collect preserved DNA from bones, teeth and dental plaque. The remains were collected from three different archaeological sites were the pre-contact tribe lived, Paso del Indio, Tibes and Punta Candelero.
2. The conditions on the island made it difficult to test the DNA. "If our bodies are in places that are tropical, warm and humid, so all of those things that make it a great place for vacation make it a real terrible place to preserve that genetic material that survives," Colon said. Only 45 of the remains were in good enough condition to collect DNA.
3. After testing the DNA samples, they learned the ancient tribe is most genetically similar to modern-day South Americans, meaning many of them traveled from South America to Puerto Rico.
4. They also found a genetic link between modern-day Puerto Ricans, both on the island and the mainland to the ancient tribe. "What we find largely supports oral histories and alternative ways of knowing among Puerto Ricans and other peoples of having this indigenous link," Colon said.
5. Colon said based on the research, they also found the history of Puerto Rico may have begun 5,000 to 6,000 years ago when the first indigenous people arrived around 7,000 B.C.
6. Colon said they found a genetic connection among ancient-Puerto Ricans and Bahamians but more research is needed.
7. She said her next adventure is to expand the research and look at ancient-indigenous people on other parts of the Caribbean to examine the relationships the ancient tribes had among each other. She also wants to find a link between the ancient indigenous tribes and islanders who live there today.