As an Iranian-American, I carry within me the bloodlines of the ancient Eurasian steppe—the lands of my Scythian and Sarmatian ancestors. I was born in Iran, a nation that once stood proudly as a cradle of civilization, but over centuries, it has seen many conquerors, each leaving their imprint on its people. Among these are the Turko-Mongol-Siberian tribes who swept across the land, imposing their language, culture, and bloodlines upon my own. Despite this history, I also carry traces of my Eurasian origins—16% Arctic DNA and 1% Native American DNA, which, if we trace it further back, stems from the same ancient people who walked the steppe long before the migrations to the Americas. This insight has reshaped my perspective on identity, revolution, and the confluence of cultures that continue to shape my world today.
Native Americans, as we know them today, are often thought of as the indigenous peoples of the Americas, but this view is, in essence, a historical construct. The truth is that the ancestors of Native Americans hailed from the great Eurasian plains—just like I do. The very notion of “Native” is complicated by this deep-rooted Eurasian connection. The same genetic traits that we see in modern-day Native Americans can be traced back to the ancient migrations across the Bering Strait from Siberia into North America. These peoples, like myself, are a product of Eurasian migration, a people shaped by the very same lands that birthed the great civilizations of the east. The blood that runs through my veins is a testament to this shared heritage, uniting me with those whose ancestors once traversed the same Eurasian lands, even as they crossed into the Americas.
However, the history of the Eurasian steppe has not been one of peace and unity. The steppe, once home to my Iranic ancestors, saw waves of conquerors, invaders, and settlers—Turko-Mongol-Siberian peoples who took over and imposed their own identities upon the lands I trace my roots to. This is why I carry 10% Turkic DNA. It is a reminder that once a nation is conquered, it is often renamed, and its people are either absorbed or displaced. Yet, the issue goes deeper than just bloodlines. It raises the question: Will revolution benefit those who live in a conquered land, or will it simply repeat the same cycle of conquest and subjugation?
Revolution is a complex notion. If you live in a conquered nation, do you seek to overthrow your oppressors and restore what was lost, or do you accept the reality of your new identity and move forward, adapting to your new circumstances? We must ask ourselves whether revolutions truly bring liberation or if they simply exchange one form of tyranny for another. A revolution is not just about throwing off the chains of oppression; it is about whether the changes made afterward can benefit the people, society, and culture within that land. The dangers of revolution are that, without foresight, it can lead to further suffering and fragmentation.
This brings us to an interesting parallel with the very technology we use today. This computer, which we rely on to communicate, is the result of innovation built upon the ideas and inventions of people who, like me, trace their roots to the vast Eurasian steppe. The tools we use, the technology we enjoy, are the products of a long history of Eurasian knowledge and craftsmanship, something that connects us to a distant past. In this sense, the so-called "European colonizers" of the past centuries—the pioneers of Western civilization—are inextricably linked to the same Eurasian heritage that shaped my ancestors. What we call colonialism today is, in many ways, the continuation of a long-standing Eurasian legacy of cultural exchange, migration, and conflict.
In the end, the question we must all ask ourselves is not whether we are conquerors or the conquered, but whether we recognize the shared heritage that binds us all together. Whether we trace our roots to the steppe, the Americas, or Europe, we are all part of the same story—a story of human resilience, migration, and adaptation. The legacy of our ancestors is not one of division, but of continuity. Revolution, therefore, should not be about erasing this history but rather about understanding it and learning from it to build a more harmonious future. As I reflect on my own bloodlines, I am reminded that the struggle is not about fighting against one another but about embracing the shared history and knowledge that we all carry within us.
Citations:
- "The Scythians and Sarmatians: Eurasian Nomads of the Steppe" - Encyclopedia of Eurasian History, 2018.
- "Native American Origins: The Genetic Connection to Siberia" - National Geographic, 2020.
- "Eurasian Migrations and their Impact on Global Civilizations" - Journal of Ancient Civilizations, 2019.
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