Mick Hartley

The Brazilian Service of the BBC are running a project, Afro-Brazilian Roots, looking at the genetic profile of a few select Brazilians:

Neguinho da Beija-Flor’s stage-name indicates his skin colour; in Portuguese, Neguinho means Little Black.

In this year’s Rio Carnival competition, he sang a song celebrating Brazil’s African roots in a performance that won his samba school the title.

But having learned to be proud of his African ancestry, he was shocked to find out that about 67% of his genes are European and only 31% African, according to an estimate based on an analysis of his DNA.

“People will think I’m joking if I tell them this”, said the singer, who knew very little about his African ancestors but nothing at all about his European ones.

Nothing at all about his European ancestors? No matter. The BBC have already decided what the study is going to reveal:

Two readers of bbcbrasil.com chosen from among more than 2,000 who applied to have their DNA tested will have their results published this month.

Their story will focus on how genetics is revealing black ancestors long excluded from family history because of racism.