Maciamo please help!

[Nasturtium]

I had my DNA test through 23andme and like to participate in the forum there. Many of the threads are related to the individual's mtDNA haplogroup or PtDNA haplogroup, where their ancestors came from, down to what country, town, etc. Some get mad if their haplogroup doesn't match how they see themselves, or if the explanation 23andme gives for that haplogroup isn't descriptive enough. Please explain to me, so I can explain to them, how mtdna haplogroups are ancient, get combined, and don't provide all the explanation that they want them to.

Sometimes I curse my European ancestors for getting on those boats to America. It seems many of us feel lost from our homelands, yearning to reconnect but not knowing how, or even where! Not to mention, our brethren don't see us as such!

[Maciamo]

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is only inherited from one's mother. So you have the same as your maternal grandmother, but a different one from your 3 other grand-parents. You have the same as your maternal grand-mother's mother, but a different one from your 7 other great-grand-parents. And so on. That is why it only reflects a tiny aspect of one's ancestry. The same is true for Y-chromosome DNA but for your father's father's father's, etc. lineage.

Anyway mtDNA can only be linked to the continent of origin, not to a specific country or region.