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RedditScience writer Jeff Wheelwright contributes articles, mainly on genetics, to the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times Magazine and Discover. His hot pursuit for a genetics-related book idea landed him in the San Luis Valley of Colorado and New Mexico, where an aggressive form of breast cancer prominent in Jewish women has turned up in Hispanic Catholics. I recently caught up with Wheelwright to talk about his experience reporting and writing "The Secret of San Luis Valley" a feature in Smithsonian's October issue and his first take on the topic.
What do you find fascinating about the topic of race and genetics?
Race is obviously a very important theme for United States history, and racism has always looked to biology to validate itself. Genetics came along and knocked the underpinnings out from under the biological constructions of race. It forced everyone who thinks about it to be clearer about what they mean when they talk about race. It is not just a social label that captures some very superficial, phenotypical characteristics like skin color but much more a cultural history and real biological component. There are ways to group people using strictly biological, genetic criteria, but they don't square very well with conventional and historical notions of race. So the whole concept of race, the fact that it was starting to fall apart in the latter half of the 20th century, that really did interest me.
What are the challenges to writing about genetics, and to writing this particular story?
African Americans and race, Native Americans and race—it's not a simple thing to understand, but it's a well-beaten path in American history. The question of the place of Jews in America is a little dicier, and anti-Semitism is an important theme. The fact that Jews are a socially privileged group, and well-educated group in American society means that they've produced a great preponderance of the genetic science, so one of the interesting things was seeing how many Jewish geneticists are working on this field and what they're thinking about their work. You can look at this particular phenomenon, this breast cancer mutation, through a whole series of lenses. You have to be aware as a writer that you know those filters are there, the filter of the researcher being Jewish, whether it's a genetic scientist or a historian, and then, the subject's. You have these rural New Mexican and Hispanic—although they call themselves Spanish American—people, who discover sometimes to their chagrin that they are related to Jews. Some of them grab on to it. Others run the other way, deny the whole thing and get offended to be told that they are related to Jews.
You say that one in 100 Jews carry the 185delAG mutation. That seems shocking to me. Is there anything comparable in other ethnic groups?
There's the 185delAG, but there are two other BRCA mutations, which are not only characteristic but diagnostic, if you will, of Jews or Jewish ancestry. If you take the three of them together, the carrier rate for a BRCA mutation is about 2.5%. You can make the argument that it is the most widespread, potentially lethal trait of any population group anywhere in the world. The carrier rate for Jewish women for heritable breast cancer and ovarian cancer is 10 times higher than any other population group. I would submit—the study hasn't been done—that if you went and surveyed, in San Luis Valley and northern New Mexico, just women at random, the way surveys have been done on Jewish women in, let's say, New York or San Francisco, you'd find a carrier rate that was equivalent. Because they are not as well served medically, not as educated and proactive in terms of medical care as Jewish women are, you potentially have an epidemiological issue that nobody knows about. It just came up rather fortunately or unfortunately, however you want to say it, in this case in San Luis Valley.
Comments
How do I trace my genetic history? I think I remember that one could do this through a program offered at the smithsonian. Is this stilll possible? If not could you direct me to where I look. Your article reinspired me!
Posted by Nancy Powers on September 26,2008 | 07:25AM
Re Jeff Wheelwright's THE SECRET......... I believe that I can offer Jeff some further background re possible Jewish heritage of some New Mexicans, Arizonas, Coloradans, & other Southwestern Hispanics. I have spent +50 years researching the initial discovery/settlement of Hispanic America, in the colonial chronicles in Sevilla, Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Salamanca, Burgos, Mex. City et al... I will have a book out early next year touching on heritage, among other subjects. Sep. 1, 1492 was the deadline for all Jews to have converted or be out of the country. Many conversos were regarded with suspicion ("marranos") & badly treated. Some felt so insecure that they moved to the Canarias (Canary Islands). Even before independence (a paternal ancestor of mine, Juan Odonoju, was the last Spanish viceroy of New Spain)& continuing after independence, the government (pre & post 1819) actively sought immigrants from the Canarias & today a substantial percentage of the Hispanic population of Texas & the southwest is of Canaria origin & bears no ethnic relationship with the population of Mexico which may be Maya, Azteca,Tolteca, Zapoteca, Tarrasca, or whatever. So there you have it: Conversos (Jewish converts who secretly continued to practice some or many Jewish customs) moved from Spain to the Canarias to northern Nueva Espana. It is generally agreed that most of the conversos took names such as Valdez, Lopez, and Perez (not Martinez or Rodriguez). Si puedo servirle en algo, mandame un email. Saludos. Vince Hodgins Historian Linguist Writer (Irish-born, former Mexican senior diplomat................) Kissimmee FL
Posted by Vince Hodgins on September 26,2008 | 01:28PM
The Stettnisch family has the BRCA1&2 gene. The family come from a little north of Berlin. Could they have been a part of this Jewish sect but did change their religion. The family immigrated to the United States in 1869 from Germany. Is this possible? The women who inherit this gene usually come up with the disease in late 20's and older. The only way to combat it is to have preventative surgery of breasts and hysterectomy. This family helped find the gene and are enrolled at Creighton University, Omaha, Ne. I would be happy to hear from you. Ramona J. Stettnisch
Posted by Ramona J. Stettnisch on October 13,2008 | 07:02PM
How do I trace my genetic history? I think I remember that one could do this through a program offered at the smithsonian. Is this stilll possible?
Posted by Liza Andrew-Miller on October 16,2008 | 06:28AM
Are people from Russia or Poland included in this study? My grandparents came from Russia/Poland in the late 1800s. My grandfather died from cancer and my grandmother died from a disease that no one talks about. My mother, aunt, sister and I have had cancer. I am curious.
Posted by Ruth Morris on October 18,2008 | 03:21AM
Stanley Hordes, who is the "godfather" of the crypto-Jews in New Mexico has written a very authoritative book on the subject of crypto-Jews titled: "To the End of the Earth, A History of the crypto-Jews of New Mexico." Dr. Hordes documents several Jewish or Sephardic Jewish diseases found in New Mexico and southern Colorado. I recommend his book to all who are interested in this subject. The National Crypto-Judaic Society held a seminar on these kinds of diseases at their annual conference held in Albuquerque in 2006. I further recommend contacting the Crypto-Judaic Society for additional information on this subject.
Posted by Ed Vigil on October 18,2008 | 11:10AM
My interest of this article is due to the fact my lineage is from the families of San Luis Valley of Colorado and New Mexico. I would be most interested on further information or information I can share.
Posted by Marie Edmonds on October 21,2008 | 11:47AM
My mother died from ovarian cancer 28 years ago. My youngest sister was diagnosed last January with Stage IV ovarian cancer at age 40. My mother's paternal and maternal ancestors immigrated from Germany/Russia at the turn of the century and settled in Rugby, ND. Myself, and two sisters (I have 5 sisters and 3 brothers, all living) have tested positive for the BRCA1 genetic mutation (5385insC). One sister tested negative and the rest have not been tested. My research indicates that this mutation is one of the "Jewish" mutations. My mother's family is strongly Roman Catholic and not aware of this connection. Can you help me trace our genetic history? Thank you.
Posted by Venetta Morger on November 23,2008 | 08:04PM
Wrote an article in a genealogy magazine you might be very interested...am also from the SLV. Believe it's the best article out there today.
Posted by George Martinez on November 26,2008 | 03:22AM
I'm a Jewish songwriter and have long been fascinated by the story of the "secret Jews" of New Mexico. I have a song called "Valley of Shadows" on my latest album, It Sings in the Hi-Line, that's about a family of secret Jews who leave Monterrey Mexico for Santa Fe New Mexico. I had the honor of singing the song in the Upper San Luis Valley of Colorado in October 2008. It Sings in the Hi-Line may be found at http://cdbaby.com/all/kgrombacher.
Posted by Kerry Grombacher on March 4,2009 | 01:24PM
I have found your article quite interesting, for many reasons. I will say that 11 and half years ago we had a daughter who suffered a rare and terminal disease. And not until she passed away, did we get a somewhat diagnose, called the Rio Grande-Nieman pick type-c? As well as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, both in which are rare. Although not linked to cancer it also comes from foreign ancestery gene. My question is to the author if you have had any information maybe leading to this or related issue? Yes, the San Luis Vlley does hold many questions and secrets some to what medical research is now finding? I would like your input on this if possible. thank you.
Posted by PEGGY BARELA on August 28,2009 | 05:21PM