DNA Reaches Into The Middle Of Nowhere! | DNA Detectives | Season 1 Episode 1

Added: 2026-05-11

[00:00:00]The road map for the wildest ride in our lives is inside us thanks to our DNA. So would you be brave enough to discover where it leads? 12 New Zealanders have and they're about to find out what really runs in their blood.

[00:00:30]Chef Michael Vanderen and controversial broadcaster Dave Farne are about to link up with relatives both old and new.

[00:00:38]>> That is genetically linked to me.

[00:00:42]>> 8,000 years ago.

[00:00:43]>> It's my father's village in the whole family.

[00:00:46]>> Really?

[00:00:50]Now for food mad Michael Vander Elen, much of his Dutch heritage has been kept alive through his mother's cooking.

[00:00:57]However, more concrete details of family life in Holland have been a bit thin on the ground. And we're about to change all that. But first, let's see what he does know about his lineage.

[00:01:08]Mar came to New Zealand, came over from Holland. When they landed on New Zealand shores in 1963, they took Holland and they kind of put it in a box and they they they shut that door. particularly dad, not so much mom, but dad. You know, New Zealand was his new home. We never spoke about Holland around the dinner table and we never spoke about his experiences as as a youth. They went through such dark times, you know, and that like in those 19 kind of 40s to 1947, I guess they were children during the Nazi occupation. Yeah, that must have been horrific.

[00:01:46]So maybe he's just locked it away.

[00:01:49]Mom would talk a lot more about her upbringing. Few little snippets here and there, but it's only one generation.

[00:01:57]That's it. I don't know anything else further back. Nothing. Zip zil.

[00:02:04]>> Mike, how are you?

[00:02:05]>> Come on, sit yourself down. Let's get to the nuts and bolts of your history.

[00:02:10]Where where were you born?

[00:02:11]>> Uh, I was born in Henderson.

[00:02:13]>> Okay.

[00:02:13]>> We're talking. So, I'm a Wesley.

[00:02:15]>> Okay. So, what was it like growing up here?

[00:02:17]>> Fantastic. Dad started a chicken fast.

[00:02:19]His family and the chickens.

[00:02:21]>> Excellent.

[00:02:21]>> And our family came together over dinner and my parents spoke Dutch at home.

[00:02:26]>> The food was very Dutch. My mother kept, you know, there was five or six dishes that was probably passed down to her from her mother.

[00:02:34]>> You did in your early years meet your grandparents. Were those your mothers or your fathers?

[00:02:38]>> Uh mothers. I would have been uh 11.

[00:02:41]>> Did you suck information out of them?

[00:02:43]Not really because I I I could understand Dutch but I couldn't speak it.

[00:02:47]>> I And they couldn't speak English.

[00:02:49]>> They couldn't speak English. We would just sit there and we'd just kind of nod and smile. A little bit of smiling and that was about it.

[00:02:54]>> And your and your father's side of the of the family, you know, >> never met them.

[00:02:58]>> And you know nothing about his his his childhood or >> never came out. His history never really came out that often.

[00:03:05]>> Okay. We've got your tests and we're going to take a look at those. If you watch the screen over there, >> your Dutch ancestry is clear, as are the French and German markers, and there's a considerable amount of northern European DNA. Your relatives might have hailed from the likes of Sweden or Finland with those Scandinavian markers. And the lab have found 856 DNA matches for you. So, prepare to meet some of those relatives rather soon. But in the meantime, I want you to take this with you on your journey into the unknown. Thank you.

[00:03:36]This is the way we'll keep in contact with each other.

[00:03:39]>> And all that's left for me to do is wish you bon voyage.

[00:03:42]>> That's me. I'm gone.

[00:03:43]>> Yes. You're out of here.

[00:03:44]>> It was a pleasure.

[00:03:45]>> My pleasure. Bye-bye.

[00:03:49]>> Well, right now, Michael knows about one generation of his family, but he's going to be very surprised just how far back in time his DNA results are going to take him.

[00:04:01]Michael, you're about to fly to the home of hippie culture. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

[00:04:09]The home of hippie culture.

[00:04:12]The hippies in Holland, Scandinavia, Sweden. There's lots of hippies in Sweden.

[00:04:20]There's hippies everywhere.

[00:04:23]Wonder if he'll send me another clue.

[00:04:25]More info, please.

[00:04:34]San Francisco, of course.

[00:04:38]But as far as I know, but absolutely nothing nothing to do with San Francisco. So, why am I here? What part of my DNA has pulled me to this awesome town?

[00:04:54]>> Hello, Michael. One of your fourth cousins is preparing a traditional dish >> to help welcome you into the fold. So, grab a cab and follow this map.

[00:05:02]>> Will they be Dutch? Will they be Dutch in them? Will they be a hippie?

[00:05:07]Apparently, there's lots in San Francisco. Not that I know that. I thought I was going to Sweden yet. Here I am.

[00:05:19]>> Hi.

[00:05:20]>> Hi. How are you?

[00:05:21]>> Good. Hi. I'm Nancy.

[00:05:22]>> Michael. Pleasure to meet you.

[00:05:23]>> You're just in time. I have lunch cooking.

[00:05:25]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:05:26]>> Yes. And I knew that we are related and I wanted to find one of the recipes my grandma had.

[00:05:31]>> Okay. Is it Dutch?

[00:05:32]>> Uh, no. It's Norwegian. Actually, >> Norwegian. Mhm.

[00:05:35]>> No Dutch at all.

[00:05:36]>> We just have some DNA we share. It's an ancestor before 1903. Fourth cousins.

[00:05:42]>> Nancy and Michael are likely to connect through Michael's 4.8% 8% Scandinavian markers and her Norwegian ancestry because around 100,000 Norwegians immigrated to Holland in the 1600s.

[00:05:57]>> And this was cooked by your mother.

[00:05:59]>> My grandma.

[00:06:00]>> So this is Norwegian. So what's the dish called?

[00:06:02]>> It's called kumla.

[00:06:03]>> Okay. So what does it entailed?

[00:06:05]Potatoes.

[00:06:05]>> We grate the potatoes. We're going to put them in the bowl.

[00:06:08]>> Should we do that now? Do you have a grater?

[00:06:09]>> I can look and see.

[00:06:11]>> Okay. Cuz then I'll just grate it.

[00:06:12]>> I only have that one.

[00:06:14]>> Oh, it's quite fine. Are you sure?

[00:06:16]>> Okay, let's blend it.

[00:06:17]>> What?

[00:06:17]>> Chuck it in the blender. Turn that on.

[00:06:19]Oh, yeah.

[00:06:22]>> I'm used to going to people's house and going straight into the kitchen.

[00:06:25]>> I'm flowing halfway across the world >> to just come into your kitchen and make kuma.

[00:06:30]>> Kumra.

[00:06:31]>> Kuma.

[00:06:32]>> Kuma. Do I just add this in?

[00:06:34]>> Yeah. Now, when we eat, um, we can blame you.

[00:06:37]>> Okay, no problem.

[00:06:37]>> Okay. Do you a search angel? Do you know what that is?

[00:06:41]>> No. So that's somebody who like it they help adopes reconnect with their birth families. I love to do research and stuff. It's my passion and I use DNA as a tool to help me find someone's birth parents. Right. We get a lot of cases where it's a baby that was left like a foundling case where they were left on the steps of a church.

[00:07:00]>> Really?

[00:07:01]>> Mhm.

[00:07:01]>> You know somewhere where they don't have any information. I did my DNA because well my dad died and I was looking for a half brother that I have never met. In the process of doing that, I found that I really enjoy it. So, I haven't found my brother yet, but I did find a good hobby.

[00:07:17]>> Fantastic.

[00:07:18]>> One that's very kind of emotional.

[00:07:20]>> Yeah, it must be.

[00:07:21]>> But I think that with the DNA stuff, it actually has made it a really easy for people to not only find missing people and missing family relatives, but also just to find more about who you are.

[00:07:34]>> So, this is just bacon and >> butter.

[00:07:37]>> Bacon and butter.

[00:07:40]Isn't that horrible?

[00:07:42]But I think they needed stuff like this that give them energy. My grandma, she made it all the time. All the time. My mom loves it and I love it, but I've never actually made it myself. I haven't had it in 20 years.

[00:07:58]>> It's quite stodgy.

[00:08:02]>> Maybe the dumplings need to be a little more fluffier.

[00:08:06]>> Today I found out that I am 5% Norwegian. Right. And you didn't know that before, right? And are you interested in knowing more?

[00:08:13]>> Oh, now now that I've started the journey, absolutely. So, that's my extended family. So, that's Mar and P there. And then that's my my family. So, that's Hazel and Ivy.

[00:08:23]>> That's so cute.

[00:08:24]>> And I'll show you a close-up photo.

[00:08:27]So, that's Ivy. Her eyes are the same as yours.

[00:08:29]>> Oh my.

[00:08:30]>> So, there's the eyes.

[00:08:31]>> Wow.

[00:08:32]>> That's That's pretty That's pretty pretty kooky, really.

[00:08:35]>> Okay.

[00:08:36]>> That's us. That's my little world. Yeah, >> you miss them so much. Even if you go away for a short period of time, you come back and they just change so much.

[00:08:43]>> They grow up like that.

[00:08:44]>> I know, right?

[00:08:45]>> You got to be around them all the time.

[00:08:47]>> My mother's last name was Vogan. Okay.

[00:08:49]Vogen.

[00:08:50]>> Yeah. So, her father was Vogan. And when they came here from Norway and I think it was like 1865, they came over on the ship. But when they left, >> Victor Vogen.

[00:08:59]>> Victor Vogen.

[00:09:00]>> She looks a bit grumpy, doesn't she?

[00:09:01]She's got that downward smile.

[00:09:05]That's when you kind of go turn that smile around.

[00:09:07]>> So that's that. Maybe you can improve the kuma recipe as well.

[00:09:13]>> Doesn't need improving. It's perfect.

[00:09:14]>> My grandma would probably agree with you.

[00:09:17]>> Well, maybe I could have improved it a bit. A few herbs, a bit of seasoning wouldn't have hurt.

[00:09:26]>> Well, Michael, hopefully you've digested that meal. Time to move on. With a surname like Fander Elson, you're bound to feel at home in Amsterdam. Your flight leaves in 3 hours. We'll be in touch when you get there.

[00:09:40]>> I'm going to Amsterdam.

[00:09:42]>> That is so cool.

[00:09:45]I get to go to the Heineken factory.

[00:09:49]>> Coming up, Michael discovers an ancient dish his ancestors would have enjoyed.

[00:09:53]And Dave Far finds a tiger who knows a bit about his family tale.

[00:09:57]>> Her name was Carmen Maria Colot. Wow.

[00:10:08]>> Now, there are those who claim that what's in our DNA runs to the heart of who we are. And actor, writer, radio host Dave Far says that he knows what's in his DNA even before the lab have analyzed it. So, how does Dave see his heritage?

[00:10:25]I don't really think it's going to tell you too much about me that I don't already know which is basically um I'm Sour and that I'm a thoroughbred.

[00:10:35]There's no mixed blood around my my family history.

[00:10:39]I'm quite sure of that. My mother was uh adopted doesn't change the fact that my DNA still pure. Yeah, she's done a great job and so has my father looking after these thoroughbred children of which there were four of us and in fact her and my father they're like kings and queens to me and I thank them for a lot of things. I I have the most immense respect and love for my family towards my own kids. I'm I'm pretty relaxed. I love having kids first and foremost.

[00:11:14]There's always great joy. We all laugh.

[00:11:19]Family to me means you'll always have someone to laugh with you. This is going to be a crazy journey for them as well as me. And uh I look forward to it.

[00:11:35]>> Dave, come in.

[00:11:36]>> Richard, >> sit yourself down, my dear man.

[00:11:39]>> You're a difficult person to define in many ways. Were you born and bred in some other? No, >> I was born here in um New Zealand.

[00:11:47]>> Okay.

[00:11:47]>> And then did a bit of time in Sour and then back in New Zealand. And >> what what are your interests? Sport or >> Oh, >> sport definitely. I I do I do like um contact sports and um I like lawn balls as well.

[00:12:00]>> No, stop it.

[00:12:01]>> Yeah, I I really cuz >> that's a bit girly, isn't it?

[00:12:04]>> No, it's really intense. Um my father he got really angry with me cuz I almost beat him in a tournament and you know my brother was there and he said if you beat dad you know what's going to happen so I threw the game >> so you don't know whether to beat him or patronize him.

[00:12:21]>> Uh we've got your DNA results then if you care to look at the screen over there we'll take a look at those. We can confirm that you are 100% Dave.

[00:12:29]>> Yes. uh but not 100% purebred surn.

[00:12:32]You've got 60% East Asian and Native American markers and 32.5% Oiana. But that blue bit over there that means 8% European DNA >> really >> do carry a small percentage of Jewish markers as well. So there's some prizes there. And our laboratory have found 913 DNA matches for you. going to be a few bolts from the blue. So, um I want you to keep that about your person at all times because this is the way that you and I are going to keep in contact with one another. Lots of laughter, I hope, along the way and lots of surprises.

[00:13:11]>> Well, come on. Cheer up.

[00:13:13]>> Oh, I'll be in touch.

[00:13:16]>> Good man. Happy trails.

[00:13:17]>> Okay. Thank you. See you.

[00:13:19]>> Bon voyage.

[00:13:23]Right now, Dave's in the dark about what's in store for him, but there are two cousins from his mother's side of the family who are waiting in the wings to reveal his links to Latin America and the Lone Star State >> Texas European goes to show that even thorough breeds sometimes have slight hiccups in their makeup.

[00:13:56]Very slight.

[00:13:58]>> Okay, Dave, find the state capital building and look for a woman with tiger stripes. She's going to introduce you to the poet and the family.

[00:14:12]>> So, you're the tiger stripe.

[00:14:15]>> Hi, Dave. I'm your fourth cousin, Samaria.

[00:14:18]>> Samaria.

[00:14:19]>> Nice to meet you.

[00:14:19]>> Oh, hi. I like >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Welcome to Austin.

[00:14:24]>> So, we're fourth cousins.

[00:14:25]>> We are fourth cousins.

[00:14:26]>> All right. You know, on the mother or father's side, >> I got information. Maybe you have some Ashkanazi, Russian, Jewish, maybe Eastern Asian.

[00:14:36]>> What the >> Or my mom is Puerto Rican, so she's got native Puerto Rican. So, I don't know if it's the native or through the Jewish.

[00:14:46]>> Ah, either Rose. Nice to meet you. Now, Dave and Samaria may have just met, but Polynesians and indigenous Americans first crossed paths centuries ago. By DNA testing skeletons, we know that Polynesians first met and traded with South and Central Americans over 600 years ago.

[00:15:05]>> I like art projects a lot, and this will be nice to put our picture in it and say, "Oh, that's when I did a documentary with my fourth cousin."

[00:15:14]>> How did you um get into the Da Na thing?

[00:15:19]Well, I knew uh some some stuff about my mom's heritage and some things about my father's. Dad's basically Russian Jewish and my mom is Puerto Rican, which is uh African, Tyino, which is the native, and some European like Spanish heritage. And I wanted to kind of look more into that.

[00:15:39]My grandmother, she was a poet. I found out recently that um in 1938 she had written a book of poems. She's mulatto which is half black and half white.

[00:15:52]>> Wow.

[00:15:53]>> Her name was Carmen Maria Colot.

[00:15:56]I grew up not knowing that at all about her. Getting the DNA test led me to find out this about her. All the things that she went through having been from slave heritage and whatnot. Yeah. How about you? I'm surprised that I'm not wholly from far more. Meeting you is quite freaky.

[00:16:15]>> Yeah, it's >> quite freaky.

[00:16:16]>> Freaky in like a horror movie kind of way or >> Well, I never would have expected to have a cousin that's like you.

[00:16:26]>> Yeah.

[00:16:26]>> Yeah. This is beautiful.

[00:16:28]>> And it makes me wonder how everybody is related somehow. It's a nice feeling.

[00:16:38]That one.

[00:16:38]>> I think that you can make that work for you.

[00:16:40]>> Yeah.

[00:16:41]>> You think your wife will like it?

[00:16:43]>> Why'd you have to ruin a good time? Hey, good job. Now you ruin it. Hey, where can I get a hat?

[00:16:50]>> She is so cool. I really did feel like we're a family in the end. She's got a sour spirit. This one nice.

[00:16:58]>> It's all right.

[00:16:59]>> It should be like that.

[00:16:59]>> It's okay.

[00:17:03]>> European.

[00:17:04]>> I don't know if it works.

[00:17:05]>> I wish I had another day. It would have been fun to meet people that she loves and it would have been good.

[00:17:11]>> That looks good.

[00:17:14]>> Yeah.

[00:17:14]>> Oh, serious. I'll take this one.

[00:17:18]>> Do people wear cowboy hats in Samoa?

[00:17:20]>> Yeah. All the time.

[00:17:21]>> No, they don't. Really?

[00:17:23]>> They do. Yeah. I didn't think when I woke up this morning that it would have been as cool as this. But even though I can't see the family resemblance, you know, I I now sort of figured out that Yeah, it must be, you know, somewhere along the line.

[00:17:36]>> Mhm.

[00:17:37]>> I never I never thought Paul Rico >> Well, it's beautiful. You should visit.

[00:17:41]>> Yeah.

[00:17:42]>> Yeah.

[00:17:43]>> Excuse me. Excuse me.

[00:17:46]>> Sorry to interrupt, Dave, but another cousin's ready to meet you in the high deserts of California, where you're going to discover the significance of the number 39 in your family.

[00:17:59]39.

[00:18:01]>> Coming up, Dave's about to meet cousins who want to share some major league connections with him, while Michael could be a man from Atlantis.

[00:18:09]>> Maybe your ancestors have witnessed that dramatic happening.

[00:18:12]>> Wow.

[00:18:20]>> The DNA detects want Chef Michael Vanderen to enjoy the full smores board that is his ancient DNA. and he's in for a global ride.

[00:18:30]Imagine having postcards from everywhere your ancestors have lived or some of our DNA works in that manner. Scientists have put these markers into groups called Hapler groups. When we do a DNA test, we can find out our Hapler groups, which then lets us trace how our ancestors traveled about the world.

[00:18:51]Michael's about to find out that his hapla group H1 on his mother's side will take him traveling back in time and we've sent him to Amsterdam to await instructions.

[00:19:01]>> 15 years since I've been in Amsterdam. I was born in New Zealand, but I think the Dutch side of me runs quite strong. You know, both my parents were Dutch. It's important. Just got two Dutch passports for my girls and it's a great thing cuz I want them to come here one day. I do kind of feel like I'm I am coming home in a funny way.

[00:19:27]>> Okay. Sorry, Michael. No time for beer tasting. Head for the coast.

[00:19:32]>> There's a rough sea between you and your very, very ancient past because we're sending you to visit your ancestors backyard.

[00:19:38]>> Now, when I say ancient, not hundreds of years ago, but 8,000 years ago, to be precise.

[00:19:43]>> 8,000 years ago. It's outrageous. The ancient postcards in your DNA from your mother's side have led us to conclude that some of your ancestors came from Dogger Land. It's a place few people know about today, but it was once a thriving community of hunter gatherers.

[00:20:14]Think hunting and gathering sounds quite idyllic.

[00:20:17]If these Dogland people are my DNA relatives, then they they look pretty happy. I hope they were.

[00:20:26]Didn't look like they had much to fear.

[00:20:29]>> They might have seen animals like these.

[00:20:32]Your ancestors.

[00:20:33]>> God, that's heavy.

[00:20:35]>> Look at that.

[00:20:36]>> It's a tusk >> from a mammoth.

[00:20:38]>> Of a woolly mammoth.

[00:20:39]>> A woolly mammoth.

[00:20:40]>> Yeah. 11,000 years.

[00:20:42]>> 11,000 years. And you're allowing me to pick it up?

[00:20:45]>> It's outrageous. Now just >> I'll just be careful.

[00:20:47]>> Don't break it.

[00:20:49]>> 11,000 years old.

[00:20:50]>> 11,000 years old.

[00:20:53]>> In a time here's the southern North Sea.

[00:20:56]The present Dogger Bank was an island, Dogger Island that doesn't exist anymore. And when the sea level was even lower, there had been a land bridge between uh England and the mainland.

[00:21:08]>> Wow.

[00:21:08]>> And that land bridge is called the dugger land. There were um deer.

[00:21:14]>> Yes. running around the woods.

[00:21:16]>> Okay.

[00:21:18]>> I think your ancestors have been reindeer hunters.

[00:21:21]>> Wow. Incredible.

[00:21:23]>> In this area, >> these are all things that my ancestors fed on.

[00:21:26]>> They fished a lot. There was a lot of fish in the seas. Um they gathered uh wild vegetables uh and fruits from the woods. Paleo, you know, the real paleo people.

[00:21:38]>> Paleo's been around for 8,000 years.

[00:21:40]>> Yes. Okay. And your ancestors have invented it. And we have found this piece of human skull which must be about as old as your ancestors are.

[00:21:51]>> So I'm touching >> You're touching >> one of my ancestors.

[00:21:54]>> It's a part of the skull from behind the ear.

[00:21:56]>> Incredible.

[00:21:58]Incredible that I can touch something that is so old.

[00:22:01]>> Yeah.

[00:22:01]>> And that is genetically linked >> to me.

[00:22:05]>> Yeah. They were paleo. They were happy.

[00:22:08]But then there was a very dramatic happening in Doggerand west of Norway.

[00:22:14]There's a fracture in the the seabed became active 8,000 years ago. Caused a tsunami. It was 15 m high.

[00:22:21]>> 15 m.

[00:22:22]>> 15 m high. And the island wasn't more than 2 to 3 meters above sea level.

[00:22:27]>> So it just got wiped out that time.

[00:22:29]>> So it was completely wiped away just in one one big tsunami wave.

[00:22:35]>> So my answer is wiped out overnight.

[00:22:37]>> Yeah. have wiped the complete island away.

[00:22:41]But because they were seagoing, they had their canoes and could >> some got away.

[00:22:45]>> Some got away, I think. Or maybe your ancestors have witnessed that dramatic happening.

[00:22:50]>> Wow. Incredible.

[00:22:51]>> In this area.

[00:22:52]>> Wow. That's quite Yeah. I might just Can I put that in my pocket?

[00:22:56]>> No.

[00:22:57]No.

[00:22:58]>> I'm sorry. This is a very important piece.

[00:23:01]>> It stayed here. I never thought I would in my wildest dreams be able to do that.

[00:23:07]To know where you first came from all those thousands of years ago. That's pretty cool.

[00:23:17]Meanwhile, sportsman Dave Far has made it to Hisperia in California, and he's about to find out his DNA connects him to an epic angel with a number 39 on his back.

[00:23:29]>> 39.

[00:23:30]Must be getting close.

[00:23:34]>> Ferocious dogs.

[00:23:35]>> Don't worry about the dogs, Dave. They won't hurt you. Just keep walking down the street.

[00:23:40]>> Look for a lady in red.

[00:23:43]>> Like American dogs.

[00:23:46]They've got a big American teeth.

[00:23:50]>> Hi.

[00:23:53]>> I'm looking for you.

[00:23:54]>> I'm Paky. I'm your fourth cousin.

[00:23:57]>> My wife. You know me.

[00:24:01]>> Yep.

[00:24:01]>> Yeah.

[00:24:02]>> Welcome to California.

[00:24:06]>> So you're a long way from Samour.

[00:24:08]>> I was born in San Francisco.

[00:24:11]>> Yeah.

[00:24:11]>> And when I became 3 years old and my dad wanted to go back to American Samour. We were all raised in American Samo. And then I joined the service.

[00:24:21]>> What's this?

[00:24:22]>> Uh army.

[00:24:24]>> United States Army.

[00:24:27]You know, my wife, she did this for me when I when I got promoted to captain.

[00:24:32]>> Captain?

[00:24:32]>> Yeah.

[00:24:33]>> Wow.

[00:24:34]>> Yeah. 22 years in. This was actually u the last letter my dad wrote me. You know, I always keep it close to my heart and try it keeps me grounded and refocuses my life when when it starts to get out of, >> you know, out of sync. basically just says that, you know, he's proud of me and that um >> I love what he says here. You know, I love you and keep up the good work. You know, as dads do.

[00:25:01]>> Yeah.

[00:25:02]>> Very simple words.

[00:25:04]>> Simple words.

[00:25:04]>> Yeah. They make they mean so much more.

[00:25:06]>> Mhm.

[00:25:08]>> Oh man.

[00:25:13]>> Bucky and Nikki have a huge blended family with seven kids between them.

[00:25:18]over there.

[00:25:19]>> Nikki had three children when she met Bucky and then they had another four together to make seven.

[00:25:26]>> Now, what made you take the DNA test?

[00:25:29]>> Oh, for a bit of a giggle. Didn't think that show me much. And lo and behold, I'm >> sitting here next to >> meeting you and then meeting seven others. Yeah. Because >> Oh, you got pizza.

[00:25:46]>> Mhm. One of my clues, >> Uhhuh.

[00:25:49]>> said something important about >> the number you're wearing at 39.

[00:25:55]>> The number 39 has to do with my dad's brother Tony. So like he's a he was the first Saman to play in the major leagues. He started off his career with the Yankees under stars like uh Mickey Mano.

[00:26:08]>> Whoa.

[00:26:09]>> He also played for the Angels. The last number he wore was 39 before he retired.

[00:26:15]Oh, the Angels.

[00:26:17]>> Yeah.

[00:26:18]>> First ever Sour Moon. So cool.

[00:26:21]>> And this is actually these are some of his baseball cards.

[00:26:25]>> Wow. That's our relative.

[00:26:27]>> Yeah.

[00:26:29]>> That's pretty awesome.

[00:26:30]>> And that's for you.

[00:26:32]>> Get a family.

[00:26:37]>> Really? Really?

[00:26:39]>> My dad was his offseason coach. He would grab all the cousins. He'd be pitching.

[00:26:44]He'd be hitting and all the kids would be out there tracing that all the balls he hits out.

[00:26:49]>> Awesome to see a ton made it.

[00:26:51]>> Yep.

[00:26:51]>> That's so cool.

[00:26:53]>> And I wanted to give you that. And also while we were out at camp, I flew this.

[00:26:59]I was able to fly it and keep it. This is near and dear to my heart and I wanted you to have it.

[00:27:10]So, every time you see this stuff, >> you know, your family in Southern California.

[00:27:16]>> Oh, thank you.

[00:27:16]>> Uhhuh.

[00:27:18]>> Thank you so much.

[00:27:19]>> Well, there's um there's actually more.

[00:27:22]>> Two girls, they also did the DNA test.

[00:27:25]>> Yeah.

[00:27:26]>> And you show up as a match to them as well. Their last name is Tomatai.

[00:27:31]>> It's my father's uh village.

[00:27:35]Oh, >> you're like double family to us. Oh, >> brilliant. Thanks once again. Hey, >> I got to take you to a Warriors game.

[00:27:44]This team are the most awesome team.

[00:27:46]>> Yeah, you know it'll fit you cuz it fit it fits me.

[00:27:50]>> Okay.

[00:27:50]>> And hopefully by you wearing it, it'll help them win cuz we we really need some wins.

[00:27:59]>> What? What lovely people? It's only been a few hours and I already feel part of this family and I'd love them to meet my family back home.

[00:28:07]Oh, if we were in New Zealand, ah, you get hugs and kisses.

[00:28:13]And to know that I'm related to this family on both sides is doubly cool. And then we have a sporting legend in the mix. Yeah, I'm not going to shut up about that one.

[00:28:25]>> Coming up, Dave meets his family's very own Jerry Maguire. And chef Michael Vanderen finds a relative who gets inspired by food in a deadly way.

[00:28:34]>> Adolf Hitler. Ravioli cheese. Wow.

[00:28:38]>> Yeah.

[00:28:47]>> Michael Vander Elen is in Amsterdam on the trail of a Dutch relative. He doesn't know much about his ancestry as his parents moved to New Zealand from Holland in the 1960s and they didn't talk much about their lives there.

[00:28:59]>> Okay, Michael, head on over to the Rembrandt Museum where you're going to meet your fourth cousin. Look for somebody waving a a Rembrandt postcard at you. That'll be her.

[00:29:10]>> Is that a Rembrandt postcard?

[00:29:13]>> It is a Rembrandt postcard. Hello.

[00:29:15]>> Hello.

[00:29:16]>> How are you?

[00:29:17]>> I'm Michael.

[00:29:18]>> Hi. I'm Claudia.

[00:29:19]>> It's lovely to meet you. It's lovely to be in Amsterdam.

[00:29:21]>> Welcome.

[00:29:27]>> It's a big piece of artwork.

[00:29:30]>> This is a little bit unusual, isn't it?

[00:29:33]Okay. I didn't think I was going to do this waking up this morning.

[00:29:38]>> You being a chef was a big surprise for me because I'm very much interested in food and everything surrounding food, but I'm a visual artist. I thought I would surprise you with something else.

[00:29:48]This menu.

[00:29:49]>> This is your artwork.

[00:29:50]>> Yeah. It's called The Last Supper. And um it's this menu consists of the last thing people ate >> before they died.

[00:30:00]>> Yes. And uh Wow. Yeah.

[00:30:04]>> All these people. So you you must have like Adolf Hitler, Ravioli Cheese. How did you know that?

[00:30:11]>> With lots of research like Well, I look for archives, autopsy reports. They look for police uh things. All kinds of stuff. For example, like Marilyn Monroe, it's a ripe grapefruit. Yes.

[00:30:23]>> Um >> Cleopatra had a fresh fig.

[00:30:26]>> Yeah. Fresh fig. Or >> wife had wedding cake.

[00:30:29]>> Yeah. Passenger champagne. Now that's a way to go.

[00:30:33]>> Dirty. Who was that?

[00:30:35]>> Dirty Fet. The boyfriend of Princess Diana.

[00:30:38]>> Oh, Princess and Princess Diana's there.

[00:30:40]>> Yeah.

[00:30:40]>> She had a dove soul with vegetables.

[00:30:42]>> Yeah. They both had dinner at the the Ritz. Also did research all the um the ingredients and to get as close as possible the the real thing.

[00:30:51]>> So you have to come back uh because in November this will be a real proper uh event >> as in they'll be cooking all the food.

[00:30:59]Yes.

[00:31:00]>> I think it's wonderful how our worlds have intertwined.

[00:31:04]>> Yeah. Yeah. Maybe you would like to help and cook.

[00:31:08]>> No, >> there's a lot to do.

[00:31:11]>> It was pretty cool meeting her today, I must admit. You know, whether that's DNA, who knows? But we had quite a bit in common.

[00:31:25]Your next port of call, following your father's DNA, is going to take you to one of the oldest cities in Europe.

[00:31:32]Aello must be in Spain. Barcelona.

[00:31:38]What does that have to do with my father's DNA, though? I'm going to one of like culinary capitals of the world.

[00:31:44]My father can't even cook an egg.

[00:31:52]Radio host Dave Far was confident that his DNA was 100% Sam own. And yet, it's taken him from Austin, Texas to the high deserts of California. And now he's in Denver, Colorado to meet his second cousin outside the headquarters of the Denver Broncos Football Club.

[00:32:11]>> John Alway played for Broncos. He was good, lovely player, but I don't think he's my cousin. Okay, Dave. He'll be easy to spot. He'll be the only one in Polynesian attire, which isn't all that common in Denver.

[00:32:25]>> I think this is him. Hey, >> Mom.

[00:32:32]>> Danny, I'm Andy. I'm your second cousin.

[00:32:36]>> What side of the family are you?

[00:32:37]>> I think we're on mom's side of the family.

[00:32:39]>> Yeah.

[00:32:39]>> Yes.

[00:32:40]>> You look like mom's side of the family.

[00:32:41]>> Yeah, absolutely.

[00:32:42]>> Oh my god. And you got here.

[00:32:43]>> Yes. Just a little bit of here. Oh, my left knee. Oh, man. You look great.

[00:32:48]>> Right. Well, come on in. You look just like my uncle in Samoa. Spinning image.

[00:32:55]>> So, the reason why you're here is because I'm also a sports agent.

[00:33:00]>> A sports agent?

[00:33:01]>> Yes.

[00:33:02]>> For like the players? Right.

[00:33:04]>> Oh my lord.

[00:33:05]>> That's why uh the Broncos has opened up their facilities to us. So, >> it is pretty nice, eh?

[00:33:12]You look like my mom.

[00:33:15]You look so much like my mom. Here, you want to see a picture of her?

[00:33:19]>> This was This is my wedding. Hang on.

[00:33:21]I'm going to get rid of the ugly kids.

[00:33:25]There she is. But you see, even the younger photos, you look just like her.

[00:33:31]>> Wow.

[00:33:31]>> You're from American Slaw?

[00:33:33]>> Yes. But my mom's from Western Slaw.

[00:33:36]That's crazy. Dave, you look just like my mom's brother. I am very excited to kind of know how we're linked together.

[00:33:42]>> Yeah. What's what's his surname?

[00:33:44]>> My mom's maiden name is Chan Boon.

[00:33:46]>> Oh yeah. I mean Chan Boon's uh playing rugby for >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[00:33:51]>> Yeah.

[00:33:51]>> Yes. It's my nephew. That's my first cousin's son. So their father and my mother are brothers and sisters.

[00:33:59]Cuz one of them is currently going out with the daughter of uh my mate.

[00:34:03]>> Oh >> yeah. Maybe you didn't know that. Maybe he's supposed to be going out with someone else. I've let the cat out of the bag.

[00:34:12]Oh, wow. That's awesome.

[00:34:15]So funny. It's my cousin.

[00:34:19]I I found a connection to Andy as soon as we started talking about the Super Bowl. He shows me not just one Super Bowl trophy, but two Super Bowl trophies, two rings. Pretty incredible.

[00:34:32]And talking about John Elway, the great Denver Broncos quarterback. I got a real buzz meeting him. I used to be a Atlanta Falcons fan, but I think I'll swap over to Deon Broncos. I love the Warriors.

[00:34:44]Yeah, but I love the Broncos as well.

[00:34:47]Now, >> coming up, Michael is about to find his ancient grandestors knew all about matching great food with fine wine.

[00:34:55]Meanwhile, Dave is about to find out what sort of connection he shares with Andy. Wait.

[00:35:00]>> Oh my lord, you're an angel.

[00:35:11]Celebrity chef Michael Vander Elen has been following his ancient DNA. His mother's DNA linked him to Doggerand, but his father's DNA has brought him to Spain.

[00:35:22]>> What the hell am I doing in Spain?

[00:35:24]Although it's not difficult to uh to kill time here, I am not unhappy if this lifestyle is in my DNA.

[00:35:34]You're probably wondering what you're doing in southern Spain. Well, your DNA markers show us that you are about 1.8% Iberian. But that's not the only reason you found yourself there.

[00:35:47]Now, all the great seafaring civilizations of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age are from the Jade 2 Hapler group like Michael. So, he's got some adventurous ancestors.

[00:35:57]Guide Hannibal is going to show Michael what remains in this part of the world.

[00:36:01]Michael's ancestors may have mixed with the Phoenetians who created cities all along the Mediterranean coast 3,000 years ago.

[00:36:10]>> A couple of streets has been found here since the times of the Phoenicians with several remains of houses.

[00:36:17]>> Why did the Phoenicians come here? Why did they come to Kadis?

[00:36:20]>> Actually searching for precious metals, especially silver and they organized the expeditions. Yeah. From Lebanon. Yeah.

[00:36:29]actual Lebanon, Phoenicia to here they made the first settlement about 900 BC.

[00:36:34]>> 900 BC.

[00:36:35]>> Yeah. Less than a thousand inhabitants.

[00:36:37]Yeah. So a humble town. Yeah.

[00:36:39]>> Quite amazing to look at it.

[00:36:40]>> Actually they found two Phoenicians died. Actually died violently >> in this site here. Look over >> in this side. Yeah. And one of them had a leg broken. And for this one they extracted Phoenician DNA. Yeah.

[00:36:52]>> And part of that DNA is in me.

[00:36:54]>> Yeah.

[00:36:57]I think it was quite bizarre. You know, you're looking at a skeleton that's 4 and a half thousand years old, but it's still quite moving. Even though it may be very small, a little bit of him is related to me.

[00:37:14]>> Wow. So, this is the this is the market.

[00:37:16]>> Yeah. It's the heart of the city. Yeah.

[00:37:19]>> The fish part and seafood is the most popular. They come, they make their shopping, they join together. In the afternoon, we eat at 2:30 approximately.

[00:37:29]>> You eat and then you go for a session.

[00:37:31]>> Sleep in a half an hour only.

[00:37:33]>> I love that.

[00:37:34]>> But some people 3 hours. Well, depends.

[00:37:39]>> Being born in New Zealand with Dutch parents. I was a Kiwi with a Dutch heritage >> and that's all I ever knew. Oh yeah.

[00:37:50]>> Sometimes we need to stop and look back because we are who we are for a reason.

[00:37:57]>> This trip's been truly awesome.

[00:38:00]It's a bit like a breadcrumb trail that I've followed back through history through countries and cultures that my relatives belong to.

[00:38:10]I was able to go back in time so that now I can show my kids, Hazel and Ivy, where they come from, and that's very important.

[00:38:27]Meanwhile, Dave Far has found a second cousin who he never knew existed, and he is a sports agent from Denver, and he wants to help Dave solve the mystery of how they're related, but the game comes first. So, this is a major league baseball game, Dave. This is the real deal. As a sports agent, it's like a highowered babysitting job.

[00:38:48]>> Some pretty big babies to say.

[00:38:51]>> That is very true. Yes.

[00:38:54]>> Oh.

[00:38:54]>> Oh, nice.

[00:39:06]Andy is a Mormon and exploring genealogy is a large part of the Mormon religion.

[00:39:11]Andy taking a DNA test was part of that, but Dave's rather new to all of this. As far as I know, I found out mom was adopted. Apparently, I only found that out when I started uh when I agreed to do the show. She dropped that bombshell and went, "What?"

[00:39:27]>> And you didn't know about that?

[00:39:28]>> No, I didn't know about it, but but apparently my wife knew and my brothers and sisters knew.

[00:39:32]>> Everybody knew but you. You know, this is quite quite interesting to then find out, oh wow, he's got a different family.

[00:39:40]>> That's crazy, Dave.

[00:39:42]>> I I like Andy and he seems to be set on finding the link to prove we are second cousins.

[00:39:47]>> The Mormon Family Center in Denver have extensive records and they're keen to find out how Andy and Dave connect.

[00:39:55]>> Okay. So, let's put the whole thing here.

[00:39:56]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:39:57]>> Okay. To 1942.

[00:39:59]>> To 1942.

[00:40:02]>> Take a look at this.

[00:40:04]Notice this.

[00:40:06]>> These are her adopted parents.

[00:40:09]I have a sneaking suspicion these guys are related. That is how she ended up getting married. I haven't proved it yet, but I'm betting.

[00:40:18]>> And how do they end up in Sanunu?

[00:40:21]>> You tell me. It's a story that needs to be told.

[00:40:26]>> It's who you are.

[00:40:28]>> DNA gives you the facts. Paper trails complete the story.

[00:40:34]And that's what we're working on now.

[00:40:36]>> Excellent.

[00:40:38]>> While Bob works with Dave, Joy gets all of Andy's details.

[00:40:43]>> September.

[00:40:44]>> Dave's mother's maiden name was to swallow. So Barb thinks that this is a good place to start the search.

[00:40:50]>> I have an idea. All right, let's see what happens now.

[00:41:01]>> There you go. Wait. Oh my lord.

[00:41:05]>> Wow.

[00:41:06]>> That's your common relative right there.

[00:41:09]>> Chupo.

[00:41:12]Oh, you're an angel.

[00:41:14]>> That's crazy. Dave, >> like we were thinking you're second cousins.

[00:41:20]>> I've heard my mom talk about that name.

[00:41:21]I'm like is a very unique and special name. The tupone is very special to her.

[00:41:28]And that's how and that's how we're connected through that.

[00:41:33]>> This is crazy.

[00:41:34]>> It's quite quite emotional. It's been really cool.

[00:41:36]>> Mhm.

[00:41:39]>> Yeah. I was I was doubting Thomas. I I'll admit, but uh they found a missing relative that connects me to Andy on our mother's side.

[00:41:49]Mom doesn't know that much about her family side either. So, it's nice to have this to take home to to mom.

[00:41:59]Yeah. Real nice.

[00:42:02]Yeah.

[00:42:07]>> Pretty cool.

[00:42:11]>> This family, huh? Hello.

[00:42:13]>> This my son Andrew. Andrew. That's my second cousin Dave.

[00:42:16]>> That's my mother-in-law.

[00:42:17]>> I saw your photo of you. Yeah.

[00:42:18]>> Diane, first cousin Dave. These are my nieces and nephews right here.

[00:42:22]>> How are you?

[00:42:23]>> Hello.

[00:42:24]>> Hello.

[00:42:26]>> Great hat, >> Sammy. Hi.

[00:42:27]>> That's my brother-in-law, David.

[00:42:28]>> Hello.

[00:42:31]>> I was kind of skeptical.

[00:42:34]>> Yeah, same here.

[00:42:35]>> Same here. You're probably thinking I don't have any family members out in America, especially >> Hell no.

[00:42:40]>> Denver, Colorado.

[00:42:42]>> I mean, I'm I got to say I'm not displeased, you know. I'm pretty happy.

[00:42:47]I'm actually um I'm actually very grateful that I gained another cousin.

[00:42:52]>> Yeah, >> I'll keep in touch with Andy. You don't go halfway around the world and meet your second cousin who looks like your mother and forget about them.

[00:43:04]>> What I've learned from this experience is that we're made up of so much more than we think.

[00:43:11]I'm not a total thoroughbid like I thought I was. And maybe I'm just a little bit more interesting because of it.

[00:43:21]>> Now, the study of DNA is a fascinating science that opens our eyes to how connected we all really are. And the DNA detectives is proving that we all have links hidden in our blood to places and people we could never have imagined. So, who's going to be curious enough to take the test next week? Why don't you join us and find out?