Carvalho <elisabeth_...@yahoo.com> wrote: Although I never knew she was a descendant of Vasca da Gama, it's easy to see, she is a mestico.
jc COMMENT: A descendant is not necessarily a mestiço, esp if he/she is a 'descendente'. The term 'mestiço' or mestizo (Spanish), I believe, denotes "of mixed race". The term 'descendente' denotes, I believe, nil admixture. Having said that, I believe that more than 45% (to use a Heraldo number) of the present day residents of the Indian subcontinent - are 'mestiço' , A good percentage (let's say 45%) of the non-'mestiço' ones are classified as Scheduled Tribes and OBCs.