GENETICS Evidence of Austronesian Genetic Lineages in Somalia

[Cauli]

Evidence of Austronesian Genetic Lineages in East Africa and South Arabia: Complex Dispersal from Madagascar and Southeast Asia
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Genome Biology and Evolution, Volume 11, Issue 3, March 2019, Pages 748–758,https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evz028
Published:

04 February 2019


One Somali sample was used in the testing, which means that it can never be conclusive.
But its interesting nevertheless.

whats your thoughts?


Source: https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/11/3/748/5306180

 

[Apollo]

They have tested the autosomal ancestry of the individual from Somalia with that Austronesian maternal lineage and he clusters with Kenyan Swahili people. Likely a Bajuni and not an ethnic Somali.

So not too relevant for Somalis.

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajuni_people

Related ethnic groups (to the Bajuni):

the Swahili, Comorians

 

[Tukraq]

I made this prediction like two days ago that we would even claim aboriginals

 

[Pastoralite]

I made this prediction like two days ago that we would even claim aboriginals

The abo in aboriginal sounds like aabe thus proving the Somali origin of the australian aboriginals

 

[Grant]

They have tested the autosomal ancestry of the individual from Somalia with that Austronesian maternal lineage and he clusters with Kenyan Swahili people. Likely a Bajuni and not an ethnic Somali.

So not too relevant for Somalis.

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajuni_people

Related ethnic groups (to the Bajuni):

the Swahili, Comorians

Here's the Wiki quote:

The Bajuni:...."The population's members trace their origins to diverse groups; primarily coastal Madow a descendant of slaves Bantus enslaved by somalis merchants. And they trace their origins to the Khoisanoid hunter-gather groups, as well as later additions such as Arab, Persianand Somalis immigrants.[3] Some also have Indonesian ancestry.[5]"

The reference for this is:
Culture and Customs of Somalia

Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi,( 2001), page 11, who is misrepresented.

Here is Abdullahi:

The Bajuni .... "Their origins like those of the Benadiri are from diverse groups such as coastal Bantu, the hunter-gatherer groups of southern Somalia such as the Eyle, and later additions such as Arab, Persian, and Cushitic immigrants." ..... "Some authors have thought they have some resemblances to Indonesians because of their physical features. Instead of an outside factor, however, whatever Asiatic resemblances they may exhibit are probably due to the absorption of large numbers of the bushmanoid hunter-gatherers of the region than anything else."

As for the "coastal Bantu" he says on page 10:

"Before the invasion of the nomadic Somali and Oromo, their oral traditions told of a legendary kingdom known as Shungwaya that had control of the riverine areas and the adjacent coastal zones. In some areas, they are known by the name of Baarfuul (the palm people) as they are the only people that know how to plant and care for the palm trees in Somalia."

We know from Cassanelli that the first Bantu slaves brought by the Omanis arrived in the Bajuni islands after about 1800, long after the initial formation of the Bajuni people; and it is clear here that the coastal Bantu were part of the free Bantu expansion and not brought as slaves. That claim in the Wiki article is erroneous, not supported by the facts or the given references.

So much for Wiki! They can't even quote honestly.

 

[Apollo]

Culture and Customs of Somalia

The sample clusters with Kenyan Swahilis. Has little Cushitic nor hunter-gatherer ancestry.

The individual got that lineage from an admixed Comorian Swahili/Bantu. Hence, not giving him significant Indonesian autosomal ancestry. Indonesian lineages exist in Comorians due to proximity to Madagascar.

Comorians are primarily Bantu with less than ~15% Austronesian. They are not exactly like the Malagasy who have much more Austronesian.

 

[Grant]

The sample clusters with Kenyan Bantus. He or she has barely Cushitic nor much hunter-gatherer ancestry.

The individual got that lineage from an admixed Comorian Bantu. Hence, not giving him significant Indonesian autosomal ancestry.

The first sentence makes sense as the Book of the Zanj says many of the Sabaki speakers fled south, but where do you get Comorian Bantu and the Indonesian bit?

 

[Apollo]

The first sentence makes sense as the Book of the Zanj says many of the Sabaki speakers fled south, but where do you get Comorian Bantu and the Indonesian bit?

Austronesians historically never landed on Somalia.

Comorians are Malagasy admixed Swahilis. They can, and have, spread those lineages towards mainland Swahilis (for example on Kenya's coast).

 

[Grant]

Austronesians never landed on Somalia.

Comorians are Malagasy admixed Swahilis. They can, and have, spread those lineages towards mainland Swahilis (on Kenya's coast).

OK.

Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi also says no Indonesians.

The main point Abdullahi and I were making was that the coastal Bantu were part of the Bantu expansion, and not slaves.

 

[Apollo]

OK.

The main point Abdullahi and I were making was that the coastal Bantu were part of the Bantu expansion, and not slaves.

The Bajunis, like all Swahilis, were notorious slave traders. They likely do descend of enslaved groups.

Arabs didn't catch them, intermediaries like the Swahili did.

 

[Grant]

The Bajunis, like all Swahilis, were notorious slave traders. They likely do descend of enslaved groups.

Any proof the early Bajunis were slave-based ethnically? What about the Baarfuul remnant of the Sabaki speakers?

 

[Apollo]

Any proof the early Bajunis were slave-based ethnically? What about the Baarfuul remnant of the Sabaki speakers?

The original inhabitants of the Bajuni islands were Cushites who later switched towards Swahili (a commercial language) and eventually became majority Bantu through intermixing heavily with their slaves.

Google Swahili+Slave trade.. more than enough sources out there.

 

[Grant]

The original inhabitants of the Bajuni islands were Cushites who later switched towards Swahili and eventually became majority Bantu through intermixing heavily with their slaves.

Google Swahili+Slave trade.. more than enough sources out there.

The best source is still Cassanelli, who says no Bantu slaves before 1800.

 

[Apollo]

The best source is still Cassanelli, who says no Bantu slaves before 1800.

I find that hard to believe, but anyhow, let's not derail this thread too much. Stick to the Austronesian element here.

 

[Grant]

I find that hard to believe, but anyhow, let's not derail this thread too much. Stick to the Austronesian element here.

We will get back to this. I have archaeological evidence.