FIRST PEOPLE

Montana Native American’s DNA Reveals Oldest Lineage Found on The Continent, Testing Company Says

Testing suggests his ancestors may have migrated from the Pacific to South America, not across the Bering Land Bridge.

A Montana man's DNA has been traced back 55 generations with 99 percent accuracy, according to the ancestry company that tested his DNA. Darrell “Dusty” Crawford is a Native American who says he was taught in school that his ancestors, known as the Blackfeet Indians, came to the new world on the Bering Land Bridge during the Ice Age. However, his DNA testing suggests that Crawford's ancestors actually migrated from the Pacific, traveling along the coast of South America into what is now North America. The company which tested his DNA, CRI Genetics, says they aim to provide a description of where their customers genes fit into the overall story of the species.

Crawford's testing focused on mitochondria DNA and Crawford's line of female ancestors. The results showed that he comes from one of four major Native American groups that spread across the continent. The groups can be traced back to four female ancestors. Results like Crawford's could reshape how anthropologists understand Native American history.