From the Shores of the Ottawa River

Misrepresenting  one’s Indigenous identity is ethically wrong.

The topic of this blog will give rise to a strong emotional reaction because we have been duped. We want to believe that Buffy Saint Marie is an Indigenous person, but we need to get some perspective. W5 started that process in their documentary on her Indigenous claim. At the end of the day What Buffy did is deplorable. Some comments on social media blame W5 for revealing the story Indeed I understand you are hurt. The documentary is good and it gives more information than Buffy was willing to offer. Buffy Sainte Marie, folk singer, has been discovered as a fraud of 60 years. I can understand how someone in their 20s might discover that being Indigenous can elevate their career. They then take full advantage of that.

However,  Buffy’s fans’ comments on social media still respond as if she is Indigenous. They quickly question why we are fighting amongst ourselves.  I understand it is difficult to accept we have been deceived. Understandably, we want to believe she is one of us.  It is a 60 year old lie after all. Being Indigenous for me means functioning on a foundation of respect. It involves honoring authenticity and practicing reciprocity. These values exist in a natural law context, just as my ancestors have done for millennia.  

Imposters identifying as an Indigenous person, or put another way “Pretendian,” does more harm than good. Calling them out must stop.

Why do some non-Indigenous people seek to identify themselves as Indigenous? Simply, they get something out of it that they wouldn’t have if they were non-Indigenous.  Buffy is one of them. I understand that sometimes it could be as simple as an individual trying to fill a void within themselves. They may seek acceptance, belonging, and kinship. This is a basic human desire. However, for Buffy, she did it  for her career advancement.

That said, what I cannot accept is that a person in her 80th refuses to come clean with the evidence. The evidence is overwhelming. It shows she is Italian and not Indigenous. Instead, she doubles down on the lie on social media. She does this with a tearful victim post a couple of days just prior to the W5 documentary airing. Remember she is an actor. Buffy is lacking in good character.

Throughout history some non-Indigenous people have self-identified as Indigenous.  This is not a new phenomenon. I do take issue with someone who perpetuates a lie. They elevate themselves in an industry by assuming an Indigenous identity.

In Buffy’s case, I don’t believe she purposefully misled her fans. She did not mislead producers and us about being Indigenous in the beginning. I can give her the benefit of the doubt. But she never corrected the  news stories describing her as Indigenous since the 1960s because she benefited from that lie.    Sadly, assuming an Indigenous identity for notoriety is not new.

A famous historical example is Archibald (Archie) Bellaney, better known as Gray Owl. In more contemporary times, there was controversy. Author Joseph Boyden made ever-changing claims about being Indigenous. This was a heated topic in 2016.

The issue of identity begins as a personal matter. It satisfies a real need. I think in the early 60s, folk singer Buffy noticed that being described as an Indigenous musician increased her notoriety. She was considered a novelty.  Buffy gained a lot by being identified as an Indigenous woman for over 60 years. She gained awards meant for Indigenous people. Even in Canada.

Indigenous peoples around the globe are standing up for their rights on constitutional matters. They are doing this in the era of Black Lives Matter. They have begun the process of reconciling colonial policies, like residential schools and the 60s scoop, with contemporary awareness. This is based on human rights. They are reframing our perspective through the lens of colonialism.  To put it bluntly, the attempted cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples in Canada is reprehensible. Efforts to correct the damage are necessary. Impostors simply damage the cause.

Nevertheless, the issue of identity ceases to be purely personal when something tangible is at stake. This could include claiming an award intended for people who have been colonized and marginalized. 

To that end, I have begun a conversation on how colonization continues to impact Indigenous people. I  I produced and host a podcast, Empathic Witness on decolonization. A few months ago, I tried to contact Buffy. I wanted to have her on my podcast. I reached out through a mutual friend, who is a lawyer from Saskatchewan.

My podcast is on topics that include addictions. It is also about decolonizing the harmful effect of stigma. This involves creating a collective understanding by making clear linkages between colonialism, trauma, substance use, and addiction. It is just one issue where many Indigenous people must overcome.  There are other areas where Indigenous people are overrepresented. This includes the penal system and the foster care system. These have an enormous negative impact on the lives of Indigenous peoples.  The trauma resulting from these experiences is intergenerational,

Perhaps the criteria for self-identifying as Indigenous ought to be more difficult.  But in an ideal world, people would behave with honour. We wouldn’t have to worry about people applying in categories created for Indigenous people. These categories are sometimes used by those who don’t qualify. It just wouldn’t happen.   

If you are self-identifying as Indigenous, I urge you to reflect carefully on your reasons. This decision should be guided by your conscience when applying under an Indigenous category.  Would Buffy have been on Sesame Street if she was not cast as the first Indigenous actor? I don’t think she would have. The awards you get should be returned.  Shame on you Buffy!

 The bottom line is taking what is not yours is not the Indigenous way. Ironically, it is exactly how colonizers behave.

When I met Buffy in the 80’s it was her celebrity status that inspired me to meet with her. If I knew she was Italian, I would not have agreed to met her.  

In my view there are opportunists, who take an opportunity for themselves, to gain to something personally. And then there are people who genuinely admire Indigenous people. They see their self-identifying as Indigenous as a way to elevate and give back to Indigenous peoples. This is done in some manner in a spirit of solidarity. Which one is Buffy? 

In the era of reconciliation, it is important first to be educated. We must reconcile the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous. We should not take advantage of the opportunities intended for Indigenous peoples.   The lines of “Indigenous” and “non-Indigenous” are being blurred more and more all the time.  Fortunately, we are also getting better at uncovering the deception, of pretendians.  

What has Buffy done for Indigenous peoples, other than showing an Indigenous person can become an award-winning actor and musician?  But as it turns out she is not Indigenous which has been revealed on the recent W5 documentary. I feel sorry for Buffy. When she was a woman in her 20s, she got caught up in a lie. She could not get out of it without harming her celebrity status. As a woman in her 80s, she has nothing to lose but everything to gain by coming clean. As the saying goes the truth will set you free.   

She knows her truth, and now, so do we. Like many of you, I love her music, she has talent. At the sametime she is a fraud.

I am Denesuline.  I live on unceded Algonquin territory.