About us
Our project started in October 2007 during the pre-production of the documentary film 'I'm Not Black I'm Coloured - Identity Crisis at the Cape of Good Hope', an historical documentary film about the Cape Coloured community of South Africa. Executive Producer Kiersten Dunbar Chace (whose sister is a Genetic Genealogist) consulted all of the cast members, which included community leaders, pastors, college students, social workers, teachers etc... and asked them whether or not a DNA ancestry project like this, would be of value to them personally and of value to their community. And each one answered with a resounding yes. With these affirmations and support a series of events took place that has birthed our unique project. And below are a series of events that have led to the success of this project.
For the past 13 years Kiersten has worked in Cape Town in the Coloured communities and is familiar with the issues that face this community everyday to include identity. She is passionate about this project and thrilled that more and more people are finding the truth.
November 5, 2007 -
While vacationing in Tucson Arizona USA, Kiersten was introduced to Alice Fairhurst who is with ISOGG (Int'l Society of Genetic Genealogists). While discussing the premise of the documentary film, Alice realized how beneficial a DNA project would be not just for the film but for the community as a whole and should be a long term commitment to helping find their ancestral heritage. Alice joined the project as our European DNA expert. Her expertise will be of enormous help to the project.
November 10, 2007 -
Alice immediately contacted Dr. Ana Oquendo Pabon, a true pioneer in African and Puerto Rican DNA testing, and is of African descent as well. Her DNA markers indicate a close connection with the Khoisan Group of people which is predominant in the southwest region of Southern Africa. Dr. Ana joined the project as our African DNA expert. We are blessed to have her on board.
November 20, 2007 -
Both Alice and Dr. Ana have their own DNA projects which they are a part of and they use one of the world's best DNA testing companies called Family Tree DNA. They were certain that if we contacted the Founder and CEO of Family Tree DNA (Bennett Greenspan) and told him about this unique project in Cape Town South Africa that he would support us in the first set of testing kits. Mr. Greenspan graciously donated the first set of DNA tests to get our DNA project started. We are humbled by his gracious donation.
November 21, 2007 -
Next we had to decide on a Project Name. When deciding what name we should call this project we had to consider many things. We recognize that there are coloured communities all across South Africa and ALL ARE WELCOME to join our special project. We chose the DNA project name to be Cape Coloured as Cape Town was the birthplace of the Coloured community in South Africa. This is where the slaves first sailed into port. This is where District Six once stood. We wanted to celebrate this beautiful, rich, diverse community that since the late 1600's has endured so much. Thus we give special recognition to the Cape Coloured community and all coloured communities across South Africa.
December 5, 2007 -
We introduced the project to William Diedericks and his wife Desiree. With great excitement about the potential benefits to their community joined as our South African DNA co-administrators.
December 10, 2007 -
The DNA Project LOGO was finished. Antoni Commodore of 116designs.com (who has spent time in the Coloured townships of Cape Town) created our logo which portrays through specific colors (brown, black, white) and through design (the DNA tree) the Coloured community and their search for ancestral identity. The brown strand stands central and is at the core of South Africa's rich history. The foundation/trunk being the DNA strand and how it will be able to fill in the ancestral gaps. And the branches are the family tree placeholders which stand empty at this time. For each 'pioneering' participant whose results are posted we will add their kit# and/or name in to the place holders starting from the center. (42 in all) To create the beginnings of a community family tree.
December 15, 2007 -
Our first set of 10 kits were shipped to South Africa and our first participant Mr. B. Adams of Cape Town was the very first to test. DNA Test results will be coming in around mid February 2008.
May 15, 2007 -
Traveled to South Africa to finish filming 'I'm Not Black I'm Coloured - Identity Crisis at the Cape of Good Hope'. At the end of the filming we delivered the personal Genetic DNA results to the cast and crew.
March 2009 - Film was release and is still traveling around the globe. In 2015 the film was in 64 universities world wide.
For the past 13 years Kiersten has worked in Cape Town in the Coloured communities and is familiar with the issues that face this community everyday to include identity. She is passionate about this project and thrilled that more and more people are finding the truth.
November 5, 2007 -
While vacationing in Tucson Arizona USA, Kiersten was introduced to Alice Fairhurst who is with ISOGG (Int'l Society of Genetic Genealogists). While discussing the premise of the documentary film, Alice realized how beneficial a DNA project would be not just for the film but for the community as a whole and should be a long term commitment to helping find their ancestral heritage. Alice joined the project as our European DNA expert. Her expertise will be of enormous help to the project.
November 10, 2007 -
Alice immediately contacted Dr. Ana Oquendo Pabon, a true pioneer in African and Puerto Rican DNA testing, and is of African descent as well. Her DNA markers indicate a close connection with the Khoisan Group of people which is predominant in the southwest region of Southern Africa. Dr. Ana joined the project as our African DNA expert. We are blessed to have her on board.
November 20, 2007 -
Both Alice and Dr. Ana have their own DNA projects which they are a part of and they use one of the world's best DNA testing companies called Family Tree DNA. They were certain that if we contacted the Founder and CEO of Family Tree DNA (Bennett Greenspan) and told him about this unique project in Cape Town South Africa that he would support us in the first set of testing kits. Mr. Greenspan graciously donated the first set of DNA tests to get our DNA project started. We are humbled by his gracious donation.
November 21, 2007 -
Next we had to decide on a Project Name. When deciding what name we should call this project we had to consider many things. We recognize that there are coloured communities all across South Africa and ALL ARE WELCOME to join our special project. We chose the DNA project name to be Cape Coloured as Cape Town was the birthplace of the Coloured community in South Africa. This is where the slaves first sailed into port. This is where District Six once stood. We wanted to celebrate this beautiful, rich, diverse community that since the late 1600's has endured so much. Thus we give special recognition to the Cape Coloured community and all coloured communities across South Africa.
December 5, 2007 -
We introduced the project to William Diedericks and his wife Desiree. With great excitement about the potential benefits to their community joined as our South African DNA co-administrators.
December 10, 2007 -
The DNA Project LOGO was finished. Antoni Commodore of 116designs.com (who has spent time in the Coloured townships of Cape Town) created our logo which portrays through specific colors (brown, black, white) and through design (the DNA tree) the Coloured community and their search for ancestral identity. The brown strand stands central and is at the core of South Africa's rich history. The foundation/trunk being the DNA strand and how it will be able to fill in the ancestral gaps. And the branches are the family tree placeholders which stand empty at this time. For each 'pioneering' participant whose results are posted we will add their kit# and/or name in to the place holders starting from the center. (42 in all) To create the beginnings of a community family tree.
December 15, 2007 -
Our first set of 10 kits were shipped to South Africa and our first participant Mr. B. Adams of Cape Town was the very first to test. DNA Test results will be coming in around mid February 2008.
May 15, 2007 -
Traveled to South Africa to finish filming 'I'm Not Black I'm Coloured - Identity Crisis at the Cape of Good Hope'. At the end of the filming we delivered the personal Genetic DNA results to the cast and crew.
March 2009 - Film was release and is still traveling around the globe. In 2015 the film was in 64 universities world wide.