Celia Cruz’s Ancestors Traced Through Family’s DNA

In celebration of Black History Month, we caught up with African Ancestry platform co-founder, Dr. Gina Paige, who found Cuban late singer Celia Cruz’s family through their DNA.

On Jan. 17, AfricanAncestry.com, the pioneers of genetic ancestry tracing for people of color everywhere, revealed the African roots of perhaps the greatest Afro-Cuban entertainer of all time – the legendary Celia Cruz. As part of the AfricanAncestry.com/Remember initiative, Cruz’s roots were traced using the DNA of a maternal niece – Ms. Celia Cody. Including Celia Cruz, everyone on her maternal line is from the Balanta people of Guinea-Bissau. Dr. Paige did a live reveal with Cruz’s family who was surprised at the platform’s findings.

One of the interesting facts about the Balanta people is that they’re known as those who resist. 

“They were very much against the colonization of the country and they were against the Portuguese. “I love that spirit of resistance, I see it in Celia’s fierce love for Cuba and her fierce protection of African music, African traditions, and her music. She was unapologetic about her Africanness, and she did that in the face of people who constantly wanted her —and want us— to believe that we are less than because we have brown skin,” said Dr. Paige in an interview with LATV. 

Photo via: Celiz Cruz Instagram

“Celia Cruz has a sister who had children, I looked up their name and then I went on LinkedIn, and I saw I was connected to her niece Celia Cody through a friend, so I reached out to our mutual connection, so I kind of cold-called it,” Dr. Paige says.

Celia Cruz’s family was able to see their ancestry background check because of a gift from African Ancestry. 

Watch the full interview with Dr. Gina Paige on our IGTV @latvnetwork.