Linguistic and genetic connections unite Mongols and Native Americans.
A study conducted by an international team of geneticists after a century of speculation confirmed the closeness of the Aztecs, Incas, and Iroquois to Mongolian peoples.
The theory of migration of Mongols from Siberia through Chukotka and Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in South America was proposed nearly a hundred years ago. Mongolian writer Tüdev Lodon from Govi-Altai noted that there are many similar words in the languages of Mongols and Native Americans. For example, the name of the Peruvian city Cusco sounds like "Хүйс," which translates from Mongolian as "navel" or center. Interestingly, in the Quechua language, "Cusco" translates to "Navel of the Earth."
Tüdev Lodon also pointed out that Incan dictionaries contain words that are similar in meaning and sound. For instance, "айул" and "айл" mean village, while "кукс" and "хүүхс" (in colloquial Mongolian "children"). Additionally, the word "auki" in the Quechua tribe is analogous to the Mongolian "агь," which translates as "prince" or "son of a king."
On the Way...
Moreover, several Aleutian Islands have names similar to Mongolian ones. For example, Ataka-Adag translates as "river mouth," Atka-Atga — "handful," Ikanud — "big eyes," Ikanutak — "Homeland," Ushka — "lungs." This was noted by Mongolian scholar Jambaldorj Sumyaa.
It is important to note that the indigenous Aleuts call themselves "unangan" or "унаган," which translates from Mongolian as "indigenous." Mongols also say: "Би унаган монгол" — "I am an indigenous Mongol."
In 2013, studies concerning the genomes of Native Americans and their Siberian and Mongolian ancestors were published in the prestigious scientific journals Nature and Science. One of them studied 48 individuals from Brazil, while the other examined 31 genomes of peoples residing in the USA, Mongolia, and Siberia.
Both works confirmed that the ancestors of Native Americans migrated from Mongolia and Siberia approximately 20,000-30,000 years ago. This research clearly demonstrated that Native Americans have close ties with the peoples of Mongolia and Altai. However, it was also found that some Native Americans have a mysterious connection with the indigenous peoples of Australia and Melanesia, as noted by Russian geneticist Oleg Balanovsky.
Scientists determined that the migration route of people from Mongolia and Altai to America did not pass through the Bering Strait, but overland, as the ocean level was lower due to the ice age when much water was frozen in glaciers, as explained by Dr. Balanovsky.
Nevertheless, the question of migration from Australia and Melanesia remains open: was it direct across the ocean or did it occur along the coast through the Aleutian Islands? Archaeologists continue to study this aspect.
Author: Tatar S.Maidar
Source: MiddleAsianNews
