Pretendians and their Impacts on Indigenous Communities
May 10, 2022
Photo source
*Disclaimer: The author of this article acknowledges, accepts, and believes that there are many different ways to exist as an Indigenous person, and that the journey of identity and self-acceptance varies for many. However, this article focuses on those who falsely claim Indigenous ancestry for personal and exploitive gain.
There is nothing that has been more beautiful and rich for me to exist in this world, and have this life, as an Indigenous person. With the rise and amplification of Native writers, actors, activists, elders, it has made my journey and understanding of what it means to be Indigenous stronger, and makes me understand how my identities interact with one another. Though I am so proud to see myself and others represented, what happens when the wrong people come across our culture? What happens when those people interact with us from places of greed and pride, rather than love and wanting to understand more?
What is a Pretendian?
A Pretendian (a combination of the words pretend and Indian) is a non-Indigenous person who falsely claims Indigenous ancestry, and/or falsely claims to be from a specific Indigenous nation.
Prominent Pretendians
Joseph Boyden
Joseph Boyden is a Canadian author known for writing about Moosonee, a remote community in Northern Ontario, and books such as Three Day Road, and Through Black Spruce, which got its movie adaptation a few years after its publication.
However, Boyden has claimed and changed which Indigenous nations he’s come from many times. In a 2005 New Scotsman interview, Boyden stated that his father was part Mi’kmaq. He also stated that he has an Ojibwe uncle, and draws similarities from his uncle’s life to his. Boyden retires his claims to Mi’kmaq ancestry in a 2009 interview with the magazine Toronto Life and claims Nipmuc ancestry in a 2014 interview. Cheryll Toney Holley, a Nipmuc genealogist, states that Boyden is not a Nipmuc last name. She suggests he could’ve inherited the name from a female relative. She provides a list of many women with the family name Boyden, but none of them show any relation or connection to the Nipmuc nation.
Michelle Latimer
Michelle Latimer is a Canadian director and filmmaker. She is known for directing the film Inconvenient Indian and the TV show Trickster. Latimer has claimed to be of French, Métis, and Algonquin heritage, specifically claiming to be from the community of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, which is located in Quebec.
She states she believes she had a genuine connection to this community, and should have researched the connection before claiming it. Well respected Algonquin Elder, Claudette Commanda, says that Latimer’s claim is an insult to the community. “Why is it that they just want the fame and glory, but they don’t want the struggles that come with it?”
Falsely claiming Indigenous ancestry is harmful in many ways
First off, it exploits and fetishizes Indigenous culture, and asserts Pan-Indigeneity. For example, Pretendians may wear traditional attire that does not belong to the nation they claim to be from. Each nation has its own specific protocols, traditions, beliefs, and culture, and by doing so, they further homogenize Indigeneity by perpetuating the racist idea that all First Nations act, dress, and live the same way.
To claim Indigenous ancestry and/or claim to be a member of a Nation without any evidence, or claiming Indigeneity for the fun of it, is a complete slap to the face of any existing Indigenous person. For example, many Pretendians tell untrue stories about their families or ancestors going through Residential Schools, and through this act, exploits trauma that is not theirs to tell, and ignores the actual people and communities who constantly struggle with the effects of colonization and trauma to this day.
They take up spaces they aren’t theirs to begin with. When Pretendians bring up false documents and family ties, and become prominent figures as writers or filmmakers, where does that leave the actual Indigenous people who are trying to become writers and filmmakers themselves? When Pretendians colonize and take up Indigenous spaces, and take grants and scholarships from actual Indigenous people, where does that leave the Indigenous people in need of these resources? What is left for Indigenous people to help themselves and their community if it is taken from them? When we finally get the courage to tell our stories and heal from our trauma, how do we do that if our spaces are going to be taken up by non-Indigenous people?
Indigenous people are making ways and blazing trails by taking on important roles, such as actors, poets, writers, mothers, fathers, and many, many more. It is important we create spaces for Indigenous people to share their stories and lived experiences, that if they choose to do so, we support, encourage, and listen to them.
Indigenous people to support
Tenille Campbell- Tenille Campbell is a Métis and Dene poet that focuses her work on themes such as Native love, motherhood, matriarchy, and self-love.
IG: @sweetmoonphoto
Larissa Crawford- Larissa Crawford is a Métis and Jamaican anti-racism researcher who discusses themes such as climate justice, anti-racism, and speaks out against injustices and discrimination in Black and Native communities.
IG: @larissa_speaks
Joshua Whitehead- Joshua Whitehead is an Oji-Cree Two-Spirit author and poet, strongly known for his novel Jonny Appleseed, which won Canada Reads 2021.
IG: @jwhitehead204
Billy-Ray Belcourt- Billy-Ray Belcourt is a poet and author. He discusses themes such as queerness, Indigeneity, love, grief, and how they all intertwine with one another in his memoir A History of my Brief Body.
IG: @nakinisowin
Anna Lambe- Anna Lambe is an Inuk actress, known for her role as Spring in The Grizzlies, and as Sarah in Trickster. She shares her love for beading, and encourages self-love and acceptance.
IG: @anna.r.b.lambe
Ajuawak Kapashesit- Ajuawak Kapashesit is a Cree and Ojibwe actor and director. He is known for his role as Saul Indian Horse, in Indian Horse, a movie about a boy who is forced into a residential school and uses hockey as an outlet for his trauma.
IG: @ajuawak
Sources
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/author-joseph-boydens-shape-shifting-indigenous-identity/
