DNA tests show Southern African tribe is Jewish

By ICEJ News

08 Mar 2010

DNA tests on the mysterious Lemba tribe of central Zimbabwe and northern South Africa show that they are of Jewish or Semitic origin, as their legends claim. Prof. Tudor Parfitt of the University of London has spent 20 years researching the Lemba, and lived with them for six months to study their unusual ways, which some have linked to Judaism."Many people say that the story is far-fetched, but the oral traditions of the Lemba have been backed up by science," Parfitt confidently told the BBC. The tribe's customs are similar to ancient traditional Jewish rituals, including male circumcision, animal slaughter, abstaining from eating pork and wearing skull caps. And their oral tradition claims they are descended from seven male Jews who left Israel 2,500 years ago and married African women. Their prized religious artifact is a replica of the Biblical Ark of the Covenant, while their sacred prayer language is a mixture of Hebrew and Arabic. The Lemba also have 12 tribes, including a priestly clan that has a genetic element found in Jewish priests [cohens]. Many of the Lemba are Christians today, while some are Muslims.

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