"the face of the future": races in Brazil more mixed than realized, DNA reveals

[eppur_se_muova]

BBC delves into Brazilians' roots
By Silvia Salek
BBC Brasil
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{Singer} Neguinho da Beija-Flor was among nine celebrities who were tested for a project, called Afro-Brazilian Roots, by the Brazilian Service of the BBC.

Brazil has more people with black ancestry than any other nation outside Africa, and its mix of Indians, Africans and Europeans gave rise in the past to the claim that the country was a "racial democracy".

But it is also a country where black people remain socially disadvantaged.

The results of the DNA tests surprised many by showing that skin colour does not necessarily reflect the ancestry of a person's genetic make-up.
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"Only a few genes are responsible for someone's skin colour, which is a very poor indication of ancestry. A white person could have more African genes than a black one or vice-versa, especially in a country like Brazil," he said.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6284806.stm

On the serious side, there is debate over whether quotas should be used to admit more blacks to universities (in Brazil). Since discrimination is based largely on external appearances, some argue, the DNA results should not change anything.

On the less serious side:



Mmmmm...melting pot.

(Oh, and on the inane side: remember "Do you have blacks, too?")
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/brazil.htm