The Mandans, and some of their neighbours, certainly lived in round, earth lodges not dissimilar to those found in Wales. They also used boats similar to the Welsh coracle, a peculiar little craft propelled in an even more peculiar fashion. I am no statistician, but I wonder what the odds are of a tribe acquiring both these things independently, without an outside influence. If we add to this the undoubted infusion of some Northern European blood resulting in some tribal members having fair skins, fair or red hair and blue, grey or green eyes, then the probability of there being an element of truth in the story must be enormous. There are also the stories of some Mandans being able to understand the Welsh language and the various tales of the great battles on the falls on the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers. There is the evidence of the stone hill forts in Georgia and Tennessee and the finds of coins, armour and helmets in the region as well as numerous skeletons of non-indigenous peoples.
If I were asked to quantify the probability of there being a basis of truth to the story, then I would say that I am between 80% and 90% certain that the legend is based on fact. I am not guaranteeing that it is true but an 85% probability is a good basis for further research.
I approached Dr Sykes who was non-committal. He explained that, while it is technically possible to show genetic links between living people, even over a common link separation of 800 years, the possibility that links were made by post-Colombian liaisons cannot be eliminated. Another complication is that currently genetic links are made through the female line only, a restriction that ongoing research may soon remove. Oxford University is presently working on the Genetic Atlas Project to produce a map of the genetic make up of Britain, which may be useful in the future to test any theory.
In the meantime, however, what can be done to further the research? King Owain Gwynedd is reputed to be buried in or near Bangor Cathedral in North Wales. There may be other remains of a similar age in more accessible places in North Wales?
In his book They All Discovered America, Charles Michael Boland refers to the battle between MADOC's band and the Cherokees at the falls on the Ohio. Many of the Welsh settlers were killed and the dead were stacked many deep on an island in the Ohio called Sand Island. A truce was called and MADOC agreed to leave the area never to return. This information corroborates the story in John Sevier's letter about a battle at river falls but with a different location - the Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee. Sand and silt eventually covered the bodies. Sometime ago, we know not when, some bodies were exhumed, and they were found to be wearing brass plated shields bearing a mermaid and a harp, a symbol a Wales. Also excavated was a stone bearing the date 1186. This stone has long since been lost. An area for further investigation?
Technically, if pre-Columbian remains can be found on both sides of the Atlantic, then it should then be possible to establish the link between them. It may never be possible to prove that the leader of the white Indians was called MADOC and that he was a son of King Owain of Gwynedd, but we may be able to prove genetically that people from North Wales were present in North America in the twelfth or thirteenth centuries. It will need a lot of political goodwill to obtain permission to carry out any exhumations, so there is a lot of work to be done. Maybe there are less onerous developments that can be tackled in the interim? Perhaps linking living people as a first step?
If the genetic pre-Columbian link between Wales and America can be established, then the controversy as to whether John Evans, Waunfawr told the truth is an irrelevance to the MADOC story.
Contact
Me: howard@madoc1170.com
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[ madoc ] [ evidence ] [ history ] [explorers ] [john evans ] [ developments ] [way forward ] [ welsh & proud ] [ registration & feedback ] [mandan tribe ] [ bibliography ]
