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Posted By: davidcycleback

If someone has Spanish looks, you can't place where there're fom from a picture-- after all the Spaniards were in Mexico, Argentina, Cuba, Chile, etc etc. However, there are many different types of indiginous people in Latin America (and North America), with different looks and from different areas of the land. A particular indiginous person from Mexico will often look distinct than a Chilean, etc. So if Nava had dark skin, you likely can find an educated opinion as to where his ancestors were probably from. If a Russian came to you with a picture of a 1800s Ojeibwa indian, you can make a fair guess that the pictured was native to the United States/Canada, and not Chile or Ireland.

My opinion is you should find some Mexicans and Cubans and ask them if the guy looks like he's from Mexico or Cuba. I'm neither Mexican or Cuban, but my vote is that Nava looks Mexican. Of course, it's possible that someone with Mexican blood could be born in Cuba then naturalized in the US. A military dad could easily be hopping between the countries. Even this way, many would still call themselves Mexican American as they are an American by nationality and Mexican by blood. The Cuba bit would be a footnote.