2010 – 2017 (Genetics): Modern genetic research has fundamentally challenged the narrative of total indigenous extinction in the Caribbean.

2010 – 2017 (Genetics): Modern genetic research has fundamentally challenged the narrative of total indigenous extinction in the Caribbean. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from contemporary individuals with Caribbean ancestry has revealed a high incidence—as high as 60% in some areas—of Native American haplogroups. Because mtDNA is transmitted exclusively through the maternal line, this data suggests that a significant portion of the modern population is genetically descended from indigenous women. This biological legacy provides a direct link between the pre-Columbian “First Islanders” and the current inhabitants of the archipelago.