Matriclans shape populations: Insights from the Angolan Namib Desert into the maternal genetic history of southern Africa

A new perspective on the peopling history of southern Africa emerges from genetic and linguistic analyses of populations in southwestern Angola, particularly within the Namib Sand Sea. The study reveals that the maternal genetic structure of these groups is strongly influenced by their matriclanic systems, which have driven population differentiation through genetic drift. Contrary to previous assumptions, social stratification and subsistence patterns do not necessarily indicate remnant groups but may reflect internal Bantu variation and ethnogenesis. Researchers analyzed 295 complete mtDNA genomes from seven Namib Desert groups (Himba, Kuvale, Tjimba, Twa, Kwisi, Kwepe) and Kunene Province (!Xun), alongside linguistic data. The findings suggest that the dominant pastoral groups, such as Kuvale and Himba, share a Bantu proto-population with ancestors of present-day Tjimba and Herero, as well as Khoe-Kwadi-speaking Damara foragers. This challenges traditional views on Bantu expansions and population dynamics in southern Africa.

Oliveira, S., Fehn, A.-M., Aço, T., Lages, F., Gayà‐Vidal, M., Pakendorf, B., Stoneking, M., & Rocha, J. (2018). Matriclans shape populations: Insights from the Angolan Namib Desert into the maternal genetic history of southern Africa. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 165(3), 518–535. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23378