Music icon Buffy Sainte-Marie’s claims to Indigenous ancestry are being called into question by family members and a Fifth Estate investigation that includes...
Many of us have indigenous ancestry but don’t identify as indigenous. It seems to me that the Indian Act made it black and white for a lot of people - you’re either Status Indian or not indigenous at all. This story is so damaging to people who might want to reconnect and learn about their ancestry. If I had a real choice to embrace indigenous culture as my own growing up, I would have in a heartbeat.
Exactly. She apparently does not have native heritage nor did she grow up as part of a native community. Her adoption did not happen until she was an adult and her various stories about her birth can not all be true. In fact it seems none of them are.
Yeah but stories like this tend to make people ask the question “What is required to be ‘native’?” and then you start to get into the various systems required to determine band membership.
It’s one thing to search into your Native ancestry … I’m full blooded Indigenous and I would support anyone that would want to look at their family connections … personally, I know a variety of Indigenous people - full blooded brown skinned Native people that were born and raised on the land … all the way to half bloods with blonde hair and blue eyes with full status
It becomes something else when someone claims ancestry with the goal of using that connection to make money, find financial support, further their career or take a financial / business / academic / professional shortcut.
People should look into the ancestry … but they shouldn’t use it under false pretenses, especially if it means gaining money.
Many of us have indigenous ancestry but don’t identify as indigenous. It seems to me that the Indian Act made it black and white for a lot of people - you’re either Status Indian or not indigenous at all. This story is so damaging to people who might want to reconnect and learn about their ancestry. If I had a real choice to embrace indigenous culture as my own growing up, I would have in a heartbeat.
But she never had any heritage to begin with, according to the investigation. It’s good to connect with your roots, but hers were European.
Exactly. She apparently does not have native heritage nor did she grow up as part of a native community. Her adoption did not happen until she was an adult and her various stories about her birth can not all be true. In fact it seems none of them are.
I find the whole saga sad on several levels.
Yeah but stories like this tend to make people ask the question “What is required to be ‘native’?” and then you start to get into the various systems required to determine band membership.
It’s one thing to search into your Native ancestry … I’m full blooded Indigenous and I would support anyone that would want to look at their family connections … personally, I know a variety of Indigenous people - full blooded brown skinned Native people that were born and raised on the land … all the way to half bloods with blonde hair and blue eyes with full status
It becomes something else when someone claims ancestry with the goal of using that connection to make money, find financial support, further their career or take a financial / business / academic / professional shortcut.
People should look into the ancestry … but they shouldn’t use it under false pretenses, especially if it means gaining money.