Origins and Genetic Structure of the Garifuna Population of Central America

This study uses molecular markers to examine the genetic impact of forced human migrations to the Americas during the time of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The genesis of admixed populations was the result of this African migration and relocation, and this study focuses on the Garifuna peoples of Belize and their predecessors in the Caribbean, the Black Carib of St. Vincent Island. The population which resides in the Carib Indian reserve on the island of Dominica, where the population is thought to be a relic of the Native American groups who initially inhabited the Caribbean islands, is also investigated in this study. Uni-parentally transmitted genetic markers from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the non-recombining portion of the Y-chromosome were assayed, enabling the reconstruction of the complex, evolutionary histories of these admixed peoples from both maternal and paternal perspectives. Specifically, this study examines the following questions: (1) are these populations genetically related, as suggested by historical accounts and anthropological analyses; (2) conversely, to what degree are these populations genetically unique; (3) what are the genetic heritages of these admixed populations; and (4) how do the results of this study compare to those of previous admixture estimates for the Black Caribs and Garifuna population based on classical genetic markers? The estimates of maternal genetic diversity, as assessed by mtDNA sequence data, are 0.8546(0.0239) for the Belizean Garifuna population and a higher score of 0.9246(0.0180) for the St. Vincentian Black Caribs. The estimates of paternal genetic diversity, determined from Y-chromosome STR haplotypic data, show a similar pattern, with a value of 0.9417(0.0483) for the Garifuna population and a higher one of 0.9969(0.0117) for the Black Caribs. The decreased genetic variation in the Garifuna population, compared to their paternal Black Carib population, can be largely explained by the severe decrease in population size during the 1797 deportation event from St. Vincent to the Central American coast.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Phillips-Krawczak, Christine

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Crawford, Michael H

• Genetics
• Caribbean studies
• Belize
• Black Caribs
• Central America
• Garifuna
• Garinagu
• St. Vincent Island

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:12261

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/37571