[Pipercub]

In reading some of the other threads like the one about curly hair, it seems some of y'all are really apt at telling what type of features your children have (hispanic vs. native mayan vs. whatever other types of racial heritages etc.) Can you tell me what the differences in the features are? I may do the DNA ancestry thing just for fun, but I'm curious whether it would really tell me much about her immediate history and Guatemala seems to be comprised of so many different racial backgrounds from european to several native groups to even an asian population. I've read the website for the DNA service and I'm not sure it would really help me understand our daughter's immediate heritage? We get all sorts of interesting comments (non-insulting) about our daughter's features and it makes me curious. When she was a baby, several asian families who saw our daughter out with just my husband assumed I must be asian and asked what part of asia I was from. (But my daughter doesn't have the single eyelid feature and I'm not really sure what they saw that would make them think she looked asian.) Maybe they were just as bad at picking out features as me. LOL

So anyway, what are some distinguishing features that make you think your children are of one heritage or another? And can you please offer your opinion on what features you see in my daughter Susanna? Thank you!

[Slatond10]

Excellent question -- I can't wait 4 u to get some answers. I had several people approach us when DD was young and say she was Mayan. Well from what I read on the forum and the info I have since finding her birthfamily, I don't think she is.
So I'd love to know the answer to your question as well.

[angel_bayou]

I have no exact way one way or the other, but I can tell you that when I went into El Barranco this past December, a Mayan village, I could see the resemblence bewteen the children and my daughter. I have met her birthfamily and they are Mayan and my little sweetie looks just like her sisters. I look forward to hearing more folks opinions

[Mariais5]

This stuff always interests me too..

This is what we were told.. I don't know how much of it holds true, but it has fit with both of our daughters.

More hispanic if lighter skinned, larger eyes, curly hair, multiple syllable surnames, from hispanic or more western area of Guatemala..

More Mayan if darker skinned, almond eyes, straight hair, single or double syllable surnames.. We are always asked if our Mayan Princess is Asian too..

Here are pics of our daughters..

[laylasmom]

What Mariais5 says holds true for my two. My 3 year old is at least 1/2 Mayan and people assume he is from China, he is darker skinned, is small, has almond eyes and has straight hair. Our 1 year old is lighter skinned, curly hair, large eyes and almost the same size as our 3 year old - we were told she is more Hispanic.

Janie

[HopeandaPrayer]

This is an interesting thread. My daughter is definitely part Mayan but in my opinion she actually looks like she could be from Hawaii. Our attorney's daughter who helped us during our PU trip specifically mentioned that many in Guatemala look almost Hawaiian and as mentioned above my daughter does fall in this category. BTY, her hair is mostly straight but does a kind of "flip" at the ends so it is really bouncy when she walks and runs. Too cute.

[stephjoel99]

Originally Posted by Mariais5

Here are pics of our daughters..

That little outfit is precious!

[kerriv]

One thing - people are Maya, not Mayan.

[kirbystarcat]

DD is from a very remote Mayan area. We have no birthfamily info but assume she is Maya based on where she is from, her very dark skin, very straight hair and slightly almond shaped eyes. People frequently think she and our Vietnamese DS are bio siblings despite the almond shape of his eyes being much more pronounced and her skin being much, much darker. There is an older gentleman in our town whose late wife was Thai. Everytime he sees her he remarks on how he can't believe she isn't Thai and comments on how much he thinks she looks like their children did when they were young.

[HopeandaPrayer]

Originally Posted by kerriv

One thing - people are Maya, not Mayan.

According to the dictionary the word Mayan is a noun and is defined as a member of an American Indian people of Yucatan, Belize and Guatemala who had a culture which reached its peak between AD 300 and 900 which is characterized by outstanding architecture, pottery and astronomy

[Mindybeth6]

Good question! I have always read these threads when they appear on here. As for Mikayla....we aren't sure. She has lighter skin than most of her fellow Guatemalan friends and her eye color is light brown. She also has no bridge between her eyes from her nose...it is totally flat. Many people from our agency and also people in Guatemala commented that she looked Asian or had western DNA. Yet, her birthfather's name is very hispanic as is her mothers. I do not think Mikayla is Mayan. Her birthmother has very light eyes as well. On Mikayla's birth certificate it says she is white! I am not sure...I honestly think it's interesting but I doubt I will ever know the "full" story of her heritage and that's OK with me.
I wanted to add after I put the pictures on here that I curl her hair with a curling iron every day. It's not curly but it's not stick straight either. Very soft and shiny though:-)

[LadyTink]

Mindy, I have always thought that Gabriella and Mikayla had similar features.

[SisterBear]

My daughter is 100% Mayan. Dark skin, straight black hair, eyes so black you cannot see the pupil, round face, etc. When we were in Antigua, one of the women selling blankets walked up to us, pointed at Carmen and said, "She is Mayan!"

Both her bio mom and dad have last names with one syllable.

[HopeandaPrayer]

Everytime I see Carmen's picture I smile. She is just so beautiful and has such a sweet, sweet face. I am praying she is doing alright.

Terri

[Alexismandyjr]

Our attorney advised us that our son J.R.'s biological father was Korean. So, he is half Guatemalan and half Korean.