GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2006-06 > 1149567491


From: Sam Sloan <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] RE: Sloan's Thesis as to the Origin of English People
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 00:18:11 -0400
References: <44823A99.1060900@comcast.net>
In-Reply-To: <3.0.6.32.20060603233356.01d0ebf0@samsloan.com>


--- In , "Richard F. Strand" <strand@...> wrote:
>
> Sam/Ismail,
>
> Here's what happened as I recall it. During Ramazan of 2003
> Matthew enlisted me to accompany him to the Nuristani barracks in
> Jalalabad. The trip had been arranged through Haji Zahir, the
> commander of the Frontier Corps. At the place we interviewed
> about two dozen soldiers, took cheek-swabs from some of them
> (maybe around 15 of them; not all were willing to participate),
> and wrote down their pertinent data. I remember the incident
> well, as I was intrigued by some linguistic tidbits that I had
> picked up there.
>
> Afterward I returned to my office, leaving the collected materials
> with Matthew, who, I believe, returned with them to Haji Zahir's
> house, where he had been staying.
>
> There was a problem finding enough Nuristanis at the barracks,
> because most were on leave for Ramazan. Matthew had wanted to go
> to Nuristan to gather more data, but we decided it would not be
> workable until after Ramazan. He went back to England, saying he
> would return in Jan. 2004.
>
> While I was on home leave during that January, a box of test kits
> showed up at my office, without any explanatory note. It was not
> until May 2004, 3 months after I returned there, that I
> discovered the box, which no one could remember having been
> delivered. I wrote Matthew about it, and he did acknowledge that
> he had had it sent there, and wondered, in an e-mail of 25 July
> 2004, whether the kits were still there. He was supposed to come
> to Jalalabad the next day to continue the research, but at the
> last minute there were security problems, and he couldn't make it.
>
> I didn't hear from him until the following November, when he said
> he was trying to get a grant to continue the project. He was
> still pursuing that option in Feb of 2005, according to the last
> e-mail I have from him. By that time I was so overwhelmed with
> NGO work that I had no time to follow up with him on the project.
>
> Richard
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ismail Sloan" <sloan@...>
> To: <>
> Sent: Monday, June 05, 2006 9:28 AM
> Subject: [nuristan] Re: Genetic testing of Nuristanis
>
>
> > --- In , "Richard F. Strand"
> <strand@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Sam,
> > >
> > > Now that I think about it, I'm not sure whether the box that
> was
> > > left at my office contained the actual samples or just empty
> > > test-tube kits. I wrote Matthew regarding these over two years
> > > ago, but received no reply. Maybe you can track him down and
> find
> > > out whatever happened to the samples, around 25 in all from
> > > various tribes in Nuristan and the Pech Valley.
> > >
> > > Richard Strand
> > Dear Richard,
> >
> > I just spoke at length on the telephone to Matthew Leeming, who
> is in
> > England. I had to try several times before I reached him.
> >
> > His recollection is completely different from yours. He says
> that he
> > brought a box of DNA test tube kits from England to Jalalabad.
> > However, you were not there. He thinks that you were in America.
> He
> > just left the box in your office and went back to England.
> >
> > He says that although you introduced him to some Nuristani
> soldiers,
> > it was during the month of Ramadan and he could not collect any
> DNA
> > samples for that reason. He had hoped to return after Ramadan.
> >
> > He says that if any DNA samples were collected, it was by you,
> as he
> > did not collect any.
> >
> > He would be very anxious to get the DNA samples if you have
> them.
> >
> > I have invited him to join my Nuristan email group so that you
> can
> > contact him directly.
> >
> > Meanwhile, perhaps we can get Zainab here to contribute her
> mtDNA to
> > this project. We would not even have to go back to Jalalabad for
> that.
> >
> > Haji Mohammad Ismail Sloan

Dear Richard,

This is a real problem because you and Matthew Leeming have completely
different recollections of what happened.

However, let us talk about money. There are several commercial companies
who do this kind of DNA testing.

However, what we need are serious scientific researchers, for the simple
reason that if for example you collect 25 DNA swabs from Nuristanis, the
amount involved to have them all tested would be considerable.

Most of the serious researchers seem to be in England. People like Mark
Jobling and Spenser Wells for example.

I now realize that Matthew Leeming is primarily a tour guide, not a scientist.

He says that he is trying to raise the money to proceed with this project.
Who does he have in mind to do the DNA testing? Is he planning to pay $250
per test, for example?

I spoke to Matthew Leeming on the phone this morning. He promised to join
my email list so that he can communicate with you directly but that was
already 13 hours ago and he has not joined yet.

Did you notice that the University of Chicago did a study on the presumed
DNA of our friend Genghis Khan and found that NONE of the Kalash have his
DNA. The Nuristanis were not tested of course.

If you feel that you can produce the cheek swabs I can start making calls
to try to find someone to do the tests.

Sam

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