White Quebecers have little Indigenous ancestry
A study done by local researchers find that there’s very little Indigenous contribution to the genome of modern white Quebecers, and many people overestimate the likelihood they have Indigenous ancestry.
The part of my brain that’s forever 12 years old is amused that there’s a genealogical database at UQÀC called BALSAC.
Blork 15:37 on 2023-07-26 Permalink
(I always have the same reaction to the name “Balsac.”)
Ian 18:27 on 2023-07-26 Permalink
Hey now according to my DNA test I’m 1% “North American Native”, lol.
That said, I apparently have no French in me? What are the odds.
I’m still more Native than Legault.
Kate 19:46 on 2023-07-26 Permalink
Legault did once claim offhand that he had Indigenous ancestry, but so did most of the Québécois de souche that I encountered doing census work. For all of them it wasn’t a recent fact, it was more in the realm of legend. As the article says, evidence shows that if French settlers and Indigenes ever interbred it was hundreds of years ago.
JaneyB 13:40 on 2023-07-28 Permalink
The sample was 205 people out of 8 million and sampled from every region at that. I have trouble believing that small of a sample is indicative of anything. Even at the level of appearance, Quebecois, especially around Montreal, physically resemble the Metis of my hometown of Winnipeg and do not look like the Français. Several Français that I know have even commented on this. Given the relative lack of residential schools in QC, I don’t see how Indigenous people and Quebecois de souche could avoid contact. Not scientific but that sample seems too thin to be accurate.