The pretendian problem
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- Опубликовано: 18 май 2024
- Indian Country Today's daily newscast
First Nation filmmakers are now pushing for new legislation in Canada to penalize people who pretend to be Indigenous in order to access grants, awards and jobs intended for Indigenous people. There’s a long history of non-Natives assuming a tribal identity...everything from using red face in a Hollywood film, to the antics of the Boston Tea Party. Jeff Bear is a seasoned journalist who makes documentary films. He’s Maliseet and one of his most recent films is, “Samaqan: Water Stories.” It’s about the power of rivers. He also has produced a new series "Petroglyphs to Pixels." Jeff Bear joins us today to discuss Indian Country's pretend Indian problem.
The passing of Hank Aaron is bringing out some history that many people might not know about. National correspondent. Kolby KickingWoman’s story, “Hammering Hank’s big fan,” tells the story of Levi Walker. KickingWoman joins the newscast with some details behind his story.
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Unfortunately, a lot of people have family myths about having Indian heritage, so they grow up assuming what their parents told them was true. This happened in my family. My paternal grandmother was born into an impoverished family around the turn of the 20th century in the midwest, and my family always said that she was native american - as far as I can tell, for these reasons: 1) her beautiful black hair, 2) her high cheekbones and very almond-shaped eyes, 3) the fact that she lived on reservation land in California for the last 20 or 30 years of her life. I have no idea about the rules around who is allowed to live on reservation land - and for all I know, her last husband could have been the person who had rights to live there. There is very little documentation available about my grandmother on the various genealogy websites. When DNA analysis became affordable, I sent my DNA to 23 and Me and learned that I had ZERO native american DNA. When I told my mom about this, she argued with me. People are very reluctant to abandon their family myths - especially these days when people tend to fanatically embrace any non-European heritage in much the same way my family did (and still do). Watch a couple of episodes of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates and you'll see this happen for pretty much every person he interviews (i.e. I have WHAT percent British DNA? That can't be right!)
DNA only goes back so far, I believe, like 4 generations so your father's mother? or grandmother? could have shown Indian DNA even if you do not. My family is in the same boat. My mother always claimed that my father's family were "Indiana". My sister who looks the most like my father's side of the family--darker skin, born with a mongolian spot, dark hair submitted her saliva to 23 and me. Everything was as we already knew except no indigenous DNA and some Spanish. Spanish? Where does that come from? That shoots my mother's theory down, doesn't it?
You cant go by DNA , bank is insuficiant and testing is not at that level either.
Your DNA test proved nothing! Many native DNA doesn't show up on DNA test! If she looked the way you described, she probably was, at least in part, Native American!
I saw a program that reviewed the family history and DNA of a woman in India. They knew absolutely that her great-grandfather was English or British, but the DNA didn't show any. The host explained that the DNA evaluating ethnicity only looked at a small portion of DNA. They said that she had not inherited DNA of that particular portion from the British great-grandfather but likely had some other portion of DNA from him. DNA ethnicity can be different even among siblings, the children of the same parents, even though they do, in fact, have the same ethnic mix by ancestry. If you want to be sure that the Indian story is untrue, you can test more members of the family and try the tests of other companies.
@dinkster1729 DNA goes back all the way. But the tests for ethnicity only look at a portion of our DNA. Elizabeth Warren, senator and famous pretendian, does, in fact, have a tiny percentage of indigenous American DNA. They said the tiny amount indicated an indigenous ancestor back in colonial times so 300-400 years ago.
If I didn't grow up on a reserve raised by my Gitxsan grandparents I would not know my Nation or any of its culture. That being said, so many were robbed of this privilege and I hope every one that wants to gets welcomed by their Nation.
As I am learning about my culture(Chumash, Taos Pueblo, Cahokia, Maya, Nazca) I have learned that reservations were forced upon all Indigenous people. Many families ran away to keep their families together and to avoid residential schools. I grew up in the ghettos of Chicago. And even here there are things my mother never taught me. Most of everything I know is self taught. And things about my mom's people I only recently learned.
Thank you. When my spirit says what I am, how can I deny it? I don't want any benefits; I only want to be part of the resolution.
I identify as Misty and thats all.
@Emly Adonis not one piece of that makes sense ...
@Emly Adonis Because that's where I grew up.
@Emly Adonis I can only speak for myself from my own experience. Please don't put words in or tell me what I can or can't say about my life.
Thank you Indian Country Today for highlighting these prominent issues!
I’m a settler in Nova Scotia. I subscribed today after an interview with APTN ‘In Focus’ had with an author connected to your show. Thank you.
I have a pretendian friend, she claims to be both from my tribe and the tribe other another indigenous friend. (I suspect this is because those are the only tribes she's heard about that aren't Cherokee) It hurts because both of us (who are actually native) can see through her lie and it seems like she thinks she's getting away with it. We talk about how the pretendian problem affects us negatively and she just sits there agrees. It feels heartless and selfish for her to do that. She went as far to put up dreamcatchers over her and her younger sisters bed, I doubt her family knows she's lying to us and it would be so easy to disprove her claims, but we want to be civil to her. Anyone have ideas on how to confront her?
Stop being apologetic don't be shamed into doubting yourself and put her in her place...to boot tell her you're done being gasligthed and won't be shamed of telling the truth. People like her helps deligitamize our indegenous issues.
I think I would ask her -- why is she doing this, doesn't she know it's hurtful? Some people really don't seem to understand that, especially if they're younger (I don't know how old she is). If she cares about either of the tribes she's claiming to be part of, she could be helping -- instead of hurting -- by being an honest ally.
@@candleman7457
Before just jumping to assumptions about someone, best thing to do would be to ask the individual questions. If you don’t know her family history what exactly are you using to determine wether she is being honest or not??.
First I would ask why she's doing it but on a more serious note don't take that kind of BS stick up for your own Indeginous integrity and tribal sovereignty. No excuses for being pretendian
Ask her or better yet tell her to prove it .we are documented people very much so. In America in order to get tribal enrollment we have to abide by whatever tribes blood quantum or documentation is necessary and it has to be a federally recognized tribe there is no state recognized tribes that's a huge thing that is affecting my tribe is a bunch of white people popping up saying that their state recognized off shoots of my people and it's a lot for weaseling money out of the government because of title for students and it's just another crap show but anyway we have to have a cdib card to get our tribal enrollment which is a certified documentation of Indian blood card because United States government wants blood quantum on dogs horses and Indians and if you file on your census even under race that you are Native American it asks you for your role number my people have a family role number and our individual numbers so she should be able to pull out her tribal enrollment it's a little card you carry around like an ID or if she has only begun or is in the process of becoming enrolled then she would have the blood documentation which with my tribe and many others is birth death and marriage certificates leading back to some form of United States and tribal agreement of documentation whether it's a documentation or a blood quantum it's an agreement between the two that this is how that tribe requires people to be to be accepted and the United States government has what my grandfather and my great great grandmother who raised him call a Hit list basically it's just a hit list they couldn't kill us off the first time and so they just went all of our names and blood quantum to try it again and they firmly believe this and I respected that. Ask her how she knows she is from both of those tribes if it is just a family story this will be very easy to debunk . act very very confused while she tries to explain herself and ask her what elders of her tribe she speaks with and goes to for council, ask her what she thinks about the current ICWA court case that is having a huge impact on whether our nations are seen as sovereign something that is truly an indigenous matter that any indigenous person that has any ties to their community will know about and watch her stutter and stumble but don't approach her with anger it sounds like you are definitely not approaching with anger but you have justifiable anger just as I do for a situations like this. Let her come to the obvious conclusion that she has no way of knowing and then ask her or let her know that every country in the world makes beautiful people in some way and all of our traditions and cultures are beautiful and if she's white she shouldn't be ashamed she's right she should find out what country her family is from before they came here even if it's multiple countries and then the traditions and the language and the cultural ways and how beautiful it is and she might have second or third cousins that she's never met make it to where you are trying to invite her in to a wonderful situation of knowing ancestry that is true and proven and not piggyback off a friend because it is cool right now. Much luck to you.
Was that the latest pretendian come to light, Buffy Saint Marie!? Sounds like her!!!
Pretendians are so harmful and those self identifiers just don't fully understand how harmful it is. I have had a commenter right here in the comment section claiming to work for NCIA who she claimed to be "white appearing". She implied she was Indian and when questioned and confronted, she admitted she bypassed the government, of the Nation she was self claiming and found elders of that community, who would pander to her self claiming. Working in an Indian rights foundation as a pretendian!
Within another, a self claimer and I'll use his first name only "Roy" self claims to belong to a nation, not from the Nation he claims but from family lore of descendants who "stayed behind". This is how he has justified self identification in his mind. Without understanding that, makes him a settler. The ones who left, left in exchange to KEEP their sovereignty and Indian. Those who refused and stayed behind, agreed to be dissolved and their offspring would become settlers. He has no understanding that he's literally harming the Nation he tries to claim, by undermining their sacred sovereignty and the great pain and hardships they had to endure to keep it!
Really, Indian County needs to enforce this ourselves and be mindful of who we hire and accept in these positions for Indian rights activists. It's obviously to me, screening and verification isn't good enough for some these.
If "Roy" wants to remain in the origination he's in, no problem! Nothing wrong with settlers helping imo (though it really should be Indians leading the way with the voices that are heard and highlighted) But he should confront and come to terms with the fact that he is a settler but he does have Indian heritage that he can be proud of.
They pretend to be us, some of them, as a way to cope with the actions of their ancestors, to distance themselves and remove themselves from that history. It doesn't help them, it only hurts us all. They need to understand the actions of their ancestors is not their fault so they can accept who they are and not pretend to be others and undermine our nations sovereignty. This is a huge problem and it really needs some enforcement and help from the colonial government with this too.
Some states in the US, though I'm sure they mean well, they are hurting us so badly with their "state recognition" too! The Federal government needs to step in and demand they knock that crap off! They'd be all over us if we tried to establish states!
Indian Sovereignty must be respected! I have a couple comments on this in the discussion tab on my channel, for those who want to read more.
I do agree that someone who is not Indigenous shouldbnever claim it or even if it is 6% when that is only ancestry. I am only 2.6% African ancestry but not enough to claim to be Black. I knew that self claiming was someone who was not Indigenous in bloodline claiming they were through word of mouth because someone said they were. I personally only found out I was Indigenous last year because my mom was ashamed. I am White passing because she married a European-American. And I only found out through blood quantum in a 23&me. I would never get a BIA card because that was 1. Something the Europeans forced on us 2. It's sus that many women with these cards are going missing and being murdered.
So what do I call myself? Nobody?
I am called Misty. My ancestor would not want me to be called anything but what I am. So, we need to have new words for these types of situations.
@@mistystorythyme2452 If a federally recognized Indian Nation hasn't claimed you as one of their citizens, Misty, then you are a settler. You're not a nobody. You are my equal. You are human, just like me. You are a beuitiful spirit being, having a human experience, just like me.
@@MegaCassie83 There are only a few Indian Nations who still use the colonial method of measuring Indians like dogs and horses are measured. Most of the Indian nations we belong to, no longer measure us and determine citizenship in this de-humanizing manner.
Could you imagine if the colonial US government did that, to their settlers?
You'll have to remain so much European, matching the same as those who stepped off the Mayflower, or you wont be considered US citizen anymore, once you've been bred out into a mutt.
Just imagine. Thankfully, the vast majority of the Indian Nations no longer measure human Indian citizens like this, and I know it's just a matter of time for the other nations to join us and use linage.
@@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism Thank you. Blessings to you and everyone
I hope Elizabeth Warren is featured here
Elizabeth Warren is part native. I'm not sure why you have to have a tribal connection. The tribal connection is often lost. Even recent natives may be adopted and nobody knows what family even they came from. Buffy Ste Marie is in that category although I guess she has native DNA.
@@dinkster1729 yeah, 1/1032 or something.
The mascot issue is so harmful. Most settlers just don't understand. I have a comment in the discussion tab with the highlights and sources explaining how it's so harmful to use Indians as mascots. I also added some more in depth understanding to help settlers understand why they are having a hard time letting go of their mascots, on a deep, subconscious level. It might be tough learning but it will really help. Check it out.
All our schools i Linn Co. Oregon have fought to change our Mascots.
Finally, it is done.
Also, I accept I am a pretendian (so I am called by a RUclipsr). I don't use my ancestry to get resources from government or take from others. Rarely, I announce that I am native american.
This is due to not being a part of a tribe. Even though, my Mother is directly related to Serafim Young. I know my relatives name, where she is from, and yet no one will provide me the tribe's name.
I knew my whole life that I was connected to a tribe. I can feel her. My Great great grandparent that married Sera was raised by the tribe, as well (although he was settler's child.
He was kidnapped. Then, when he was found by his parents, he ran away back to the Haudenasaunee. I dont claim TO BE ANYTHING BUT Misty. I am not a gender, color, religion, sub-type, or part of a click; also I didn't settle in America. Some assholes did.
All Chris Columbus discovered was chlamydiA. I list myself as not,hispanic because I dont know what to put.
What should I put?
Well said! I'm not Indian, I'm mostly Polynesian, but I've marched and petitioned with my Indian friends against the "Redskins" name especially because that team plays here . . . And now, finally, it's being changed! 🥰 And although I never understand why some settlers get so attached to such names, I do know that whenever we talk with them, it became easier for them to understand when they knew the horrific origin of "redskins".
Many didn't even know! To them, it was just a name; and I remember one man especially whose childhood was deeply intertwined with that team. . . His own parents were abusive, and only his grandfather had loved him. His grandfather used to take him to games and root for the "Redskins", and those were some of the only bright spots of his childhood.
It can feel so cathartic to get angry and point out how racist someone is being (even when they don't know they are) but I've come to realize that's an approach which can be counterproductive, it can make them close their ears.
So we began to approach these ones differently. . . Instead of "calling them out", we use "calling them in". Many of my Indian friends and I also had difficult childhoods; so this became a point of understanding where we could meet with this man, and people like him.
Of course, some people who want to keep the mascot names, they really are racist. They can't ever hear, they won't ever listen. But over the years, I met many white people who were just completely naïve about why the these names are so hurtful.
And with these naïve ones, it doesn't work to point out they have white privilege, because that's become such a misunderstood and radioactive term, it can spark "oppositional reactivity".
However, if there's some intersection of understanding where we can meet them, it's possible for them to see (even though they'll never truly understand) why these mascot names need to be changed. Then -- like this man -- they become allies in fighting against racist team mascots.
@@mistystorythyme2452 I'm not Indian, so this isn't something I can answer, but many of my friends are. Here is what one of my Indian friend always says, whenever this kind of question comes up:
Can you research your ancestors, via whatever historical records you can find? (Sometimes the Mormon church has records which can help people locate their ancestors, it doesn't matter they weren't Mormon, that church collects ancestry data on everyone they can.)
Then, you can contact whichever tribe you may (or may not) be a descendant of, and discuss this with them. Only the tribe can claim you, it's not up to anyone else. And each tribe is sovereign and unique, so it will depend on what they say.
I wish you blessings in your search; it's wonderful to learn more about family history! -- whatever our ancestry -- and to embrace and accept whatever we discover along the way.
@@zxyatiywariii8 thank you. I am related To Seraphin Young. Many people have come forward to tell me that I can be most respectful by writing and claiming : I am a Colonial Settler with Haudensaunee ancestry (Kanien'kehá•ka to be exact) .
I'm proud to be me. I'm happy to be respectful. In respecting my ancestors, I honor my maternal Great Great Grandmother Serafin. Innately, I have no desire to expect anything from anyone; the Earth provides all I need.
All I can do is share the wisdom given to me. Hopefully, the sun will rise and shine it's light on all humans; so, all humans will see humans as the same kind of humans. If aliens were real, they would not see us as separate beings. We humans would all be one.
Yet, traditions, beliefs, and stories are important to some of us. So we claim our own story as one with our ancestors; to give our life more meaning. In respecting Native American requests that I claim I am a descendant of colonial settler, I'm only mirroring the same respect and honor to my other ancestors. Peace is felt now.
I will honor my respective colonial settler [humane parts], Native and American born relatives. I'm proof that we humans are finally evolving (many others out there like me). Until my native brothers and sisters learn to remove their hate for my ancestors, they will never find the peace I've found. Until then, colonial settler descendants' & Native American descendants' will be in disagreement, remain in pain, and live with unsolved problems.
Good news is humanity is changing and correct history is being shared. This helps humans not repeat history and be accountable; thus, establishing real change and real peace. I'm still learning and will continue to do my best to establish the same within my family. I am not just one person...I am part of the human race. That makes me important and all others important. Im appreciative to be alive and exist during THIS era.
@@zxyatiywariii8 My colonial settling ancestors did great harm to Hawaii, as well. The history I have learned makes me want to dismiss those horrific relatives. Who wants to be labeled as barbaric? I'm no way barbaric but I've been asked to label myself as a colonial settler. The label makes me feel discriminated against. It makes me feel like I will always be attached to a barbaric title. I don't want anyine to see me and think, "disgusting inhumane white settler".
I agree with all you said. Yet, some of us colonial settling descendants are able to fully understand. Tears in eyes. For example (just to use the example you did above-- which barely knicks the surface], if my my team mascot was a Colonial Settler, I'd be fucking fighting to have that disgusting name removed. That name would mean I was happy to be identified as such and that I SUPPORT those ancestors actions...which is never going to happen. Since I was a child, I've been asked what nationality I am.
I was made fun of by teachers and kids. My Grandmother and Great Grandmother would tell me their stories which made me feel connected to all people. I cried when I heard stories and couldn't believe that is how bad life was for anyone. The pain and sadness were proof that they, too, were being accountable for their ancestors actions; yet, they lived in a different time and were woman with no rights.
I do understand. My ancestors were monsters and I will forever be seen as "a monster's relative" by my Native brothers and sisters. Are you open enough to see this truth? That IT IS POSSIBLE WE (not all but many) DO UNDERSTAND!
Until my ancestors are accountable (from both sides), a solution will never be. Full Colonial Settlers and Full Natives need to know their ancestry, the true history, and use the information to change. An individual need not live in such shame nor with guilt or carry any of that forward into our future generations. That is when balance will be restored to humans. We should teach and tell the truth but not embed the hate into dna. We should share compassion for both painful histories to finally become what we are meant to. Hate hinders.
You are very knowledgeable. Please keep in touch. I want to continue to grow and be as much involved in a change as I can. Please understand that I know the privilege and other stuff makes me seem like I couldn't truly understand. Well, I do...that's not the privileges I want to be associated because of the negative connotations, etc.
I don't have a high enough blood concentration to be in current tribe. Like a dog, I'm a mut but difference is I have papers and my life happens to be associated to barbarians and to people whom have been hurt [nearly destroyed].
I'm accountable thats why I have never practiced nor repeated the horrific history in my dna. I choose to learn from all sides of my ancestry to be the Misty I was created to be. To do this, I have to surround myself with people who will continue to mentor me to be even better. Right now, I say I understand; yet, I only have knowledge about events that I have taught myself (thanks to Internet/YT) or learned (not from school). I'm open to the fact that I dont have all the information to 100% say I ENTIRELY UNDERSTAND FULLY THE DEPTHS OF NATIVES UNDERSTANDING; again, with the pain and shame I've walked with in the past for all the damage attached to me, I'm sure I'm allowed to say "I do understand".
I just rambled and might edit later. I don't mean to dismiss anyones pain nor compare it. I only claim my own depth of understanding and the possibility that others might understand, as well. MORE knowledge might change my idea of my own understanding. I'm open to more info. Do I want to know everything? No. I want to live like it never happened but I can't because I know my relatives still have not been given what they were supposed to inherit. No one truly understands how anyone feels. Comparatively to the loss of a loved one, grief of humans should not be compared to one another because NO ONE REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE GRIEF AND PAIN OF ANOTHER. Descendants of Colonial Settlers and Natives-- will never really understand the grief and pain of the other because NO ONE truly understands that of another person (regardless of race, religion, ancestry, history, gender, political party, lack of religion, addict, those that lack substance use disorder, age, etc.).
This is where change begins. Acceptance and willingness from all people will being forth openness and resolution for change. I'm sorry for what my ancestors did and for Native past suffering and current effects today. May we all receive this planet's gifts with love and do our part to replenish and maintain nature's balance [which results in restoring human balance ]. Also, please know I'm aware my colonial ancestors don't deserve such forgiveness but they also don't deserve the effort of attachment to their deranged efforts and genocidal actions. My Native relatives survived. They should focus on those things. The solution to real change is in utilizing their methods of what worked for their survival; as opposed to, focusing on traumatic and tragic events which nearly destroyed them. Attach to was strengthens not what weakened.
I say this but I'm trying my best to live this way, as well. As everyone knows, life has challenges and obstacles but to progress- as a whole- we all need to release attachments to what hinders our growth and provide attention to wisdom that helped us maintain.
With respect, I just want what's best for all humanity. In conclusion, I believe it is possible and beginning. A Native should be president and include matriarchal changes to government [many structures of government/society were created from what worked for native tribes but need to be revisited and changed because it is time for a change. Humans have evolved and so we should align our government or create a new one that incorporates the current wisdom).
The individuals who have such issues must be fined with court issued treatment for identity issue.
is that true for transgenders aswell?
That might backfire on many people. I would see more people getting fined for false accusations and pre-judging others then anything else.
👏🏾RACE GRIFTERS IN CANADA MUST BE GENIUNE INDINGEOUS 👏🏾
Kwe Jeff Bear,
So nice to see you live, great interview on Indian Country Today. From your Manitou College buddies. No pretendians here Mohawk & Mi'gmaq Moe Sylliboy & Pauline Loft
My paternal grandad was Potawatomi and lived on and off the Plains Potawatomi rez. We weren't citizens so it was rarely brought up outside our family. My neice did some great research. She found that my dad was actually 1/2 Łingit-Haida and 1/2 Hispanic. Anyway, my dad's family brought us into Łingit-Haidi citizenship. This is a rare success story. How many American Indigenous folks are out there that were adopted out before there were protections..?
My grandmother was pressured to give him up. He was adopted a short time after his birth. My grandmother looked for him for the rest of her life...
Nice of Mr Jeff Bear to mention Grey Owl aka Archie Belaney, an Englishman who pretended to be a child of an Apache mother and a Scottish father so Métis in the 1930s. He, in fact, did have a Scottish grandfather, but his father and aunts (who raised him) lived in Hastings, England. Grey Owl was most famous in the 1930s. A.S. Belaney published his first stories of northern Ontario animals with that name and later switched to Grey Owl. He also gave lectures with the native name of Grey Owl. There are a number of documentaries about Grey Owl on You Tube. There's even a fictionalized version of his life by David Attenborough starring Pierce Brosman as Grey Owl. The film was never relesaed in the U.S. apparently. A few excerpts from that film are on You Tube. Grey Owl even spent time with the young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose just before the 2nd World War and a bit before his own death when the story broke that he was English not Métis. My mother, like the late Queen, loved nature. She bought me a book once, Pilgrims of the Wild (hard cover). It was a consolation prize because I was too sick to go to visit Banff when we visited my grandparents in Calgary, Alberta. I asked her once if finding out that Grey Owl was white was a shock--she would have been about 15 when the story broke and living in the West. She answered, "Yes! Totally a shock." I left Pilgrims of the Wild in Fogo Island because I thought someone there might enjoy the book. I also left a copy of "Flint and Feather" by E. Pauline Johnson (part Mohawk and part English) at that library. The issue of "Pretendians" is a tricky one.
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ruclips.net/video/r_OKMlhW5LY/видео.html
I remember hearing how he wanted to call his first book "The Vanishing Frontier" but his publisher changed it to "Men of the Last Frontier" which he HATED, because he said too many people consider humans to be the most important life on earth but we're not, we're just one part of our environment, and need to live in harmony with it, instead of taking advantage of it.
He did so much for conservation, especially for beavers, I just wish he had done it without pretending to be Indian 🤦🏾♀️
@@zxyatiywariii8 Saying he was an "Indian" was what got him attention. The medium is the message. Besides, he said that his father was Scottish and his mother was Apache so he is basically claiming to be Métis. In fact, his grandfather was Scottish. E. Pauline Johnson also used her persona of being an Indian Princess (which she was) and her persona of being white to push for understanding between the so-called "White" race and the "Indian race". Same with Buffy, I guess, : she stood out from other singer/song-writers when she claimed to be "Native" and she advanced our understanding of the Native point of view, if her view is indeed the Native point of view. And It's too bad she wasn't being honest and hasn't been honest with us.
The word “redskin” was coined by Native Americans. In 2005, the Indian language scholar Ives Goddard of the Smithsonian Institution published a remarkably exhaustive and consequentially conclusive study of 'redskins' origins finding, in summary, that “the actual origin of the word is benign." The English term, in fact, derives from Native American phrases combining the color red with terms for flesh, skin and man as part of a racial vocabulary Indians used to designate themselves in comparison to others whom they, like the Europeans, called black, white and so on. Next, let's consider 'paleface'.
First time watching this and I especially like the little snippets about Native Americans that did wonderful things in history. Thank you
I am torn I am Mexican American My great grandfather was half Navajo I am mostly a mix of Spanish And Huasteco from Jalisco Mex but I honestly do look 1st nation so much so that a Arapahoe elder asked me why I was denying my native ancestry! And just about everyone asks me if I am native . Live in Utah mostly Ute's in my area my question is what should I tell people when asked? I in no way want to claim or pretend but since I honestly do look native don't want to offend anyone by them thinking I am denying my heritage! Cheers from Salt Lake City!
If you got Native DNA and strong Native features then you can identify as Native. You don’t need approval from the Native Americans or Native Canadians. Also our Mexican culture is pretty Native itself (the food, the traditions, and even a lot of the words we use).
Just remember native American isn't exclusive to just the USA it is infact a broad term for all indeginous peoples of the North & South American continent. You are apart of it racially however I do understand identifying culturally with a tribe is a topic in of itself. Given my observations Mexican tribes have more in common with first nations people in US & Canada than those in other parts of latin America only separation seems to be by borders your Navajo ancestry helps bridge the gap. I think if because of your dad, how you were raised or even if you have Mexican citizenship then perhaps legally you are a member of the Hispanic community. I do not however see you as being pretendian so by all means identify with both your Heritage
@@davidmccarroll2280 I am going to take thefamilytree dna test to narrow likely nation look more native then natives I see on tv Pocahontas facial features very pronounced high cheek bones hopefully narrow it down to a tribe what is the best dna test and requirements for blood quantum test? Thank you very much for the inf6! Cheers from Ute country Salt LAKE City
@@ezragonzalez8936 If you want to compare amerindians there's a tv series called Native America (2018) Roman or hawk nose is a good indication of a northern native. 23andMe & ancestryDNA are the two most common tests, both give a good look into paternal and maternal ancestry and pie graph quantum's, Navajo requires 1/4 for tribal membership. I'm curious as to what it's like in Mexico is tribal status like that of the US would you be able to enroll in one.? Arapahoe sounds various similar to a place in my country NZ called Arapohue, a guy who has ties to both the US and NZ mentioned how his wife (who I think is native American Im not sure) notice the linguistic similarities between indeginous American and Te Reo Maori. Both Polynesians and amerindians are both a branch of Mongoloid who's ancestors migrated from east asia, or it could be loan words from the suspected pre Columbian contact between the two groups that DNA has shown to of happened. It's fascinating how much in common they have
@@youtubeaccount5356 yes he would need approval from his tribe if his tribe doesn't claim him because he doesn't have documentation then that is a very fine and reasonable thing to do and whatever tribe does no one's going to claim you if you can't prove that you're from there genetically. You should look at the qualifications for enrollment in the Navajo Nation and how they determine who is Navajo because every tribe does it differently it is not just about blood quantum it is about documentation that shows you have a relative in close proximity to your generation that is of that tribe has lived on that res and is on the rules of both the government and the tribe we all keep documentation and we are the most documented people racially in America and Canada too I believe definitely in America
This is the best video you guys have ever put out imo! Indian news and Indian issues! A very good decolonized news video!
We still need to rid the sports world of our likeness on their sports logos. It a mis rep of us and it is calling us animal's because if you look at it what do you see animal's on team sports. I hope people learn why it is harmful to us.
It’s calling you an animal? A chief or a brave is an animal? Why are you allowing woke people into talking you out of honors, place names and a rightful place in American culture by having your names and words for things out there in the country removed? You are being more quickly erased when you do what Liberals tell you. Don’t fall for it.
hello again. we also need to get rid of all men who pretend to be women to compete against them
Good point
In Canada, we fall under the federal government. Federal funding for our education meant that basically 100% of us were raised by Europeans and not our own people, in residential schools.The last residential school closed in 1996. Because we fall under federal funding, I believe that the crime of impersonating an Indigenous person should be a federal crime.
I couldn't agree more!
It is not true that 100% of indigenous people were raised in residential schools. There are natives in north Fronenac County (Kingston) who were never sent to residential schools and never signed a treaty with the British or the federal government. Natives in Newfoundland and Labrador never signed a treaty nor were recognized as a native band until recently (last 50 years or so). Also, the Inuit never signed a treaty and have no reservation. Lots of natives were missed when the reservation system and residential schools were stablished. "Indian day schools" also exist. When were they established?
@@dinkster1729 It was the law in Canada that all children go to school. Indigenous kids weren't allowed in non-Indigenous schools. It just wasn't done. In fact, back in the day, many stores had signs in the window stating "No Indians or Dogs Allowed". It didn't matter if a treaty was signed or not, the Purpose of the residential schools was to Separate parents from their children to "prevent savages from raising savages", as government documents state.
How do you know that people in Fronenac County were never sent to residential schools? You don't need a 'school' nearby in order to be sent; if there was a residential school nearby, Indigenous kids were sent to one far away, as the purpose was, again, to separate parents from their children so they couldn't pass down languages or knowledge of how to live on the land.
Newfoundland and Labrador didn't join Canada until 1949, yet Indigenous children were Still sent to residential schools run by religious organisations.
My husband went to a residential school for Inuit kids. He and his siblings were the only kids who weren't Inuit there. My family is Inuit. My mother, aunts and uncles lived in a hostel for Indigenous kids, but they did go to the local school in Inuvik, that was an exception, and it was the 1960s and 1970s.
@@gin6760 I was talking about the schools on the island of Newfoundland, not Labrador. The natives of north Frontenac Co., Ontario were not treatied until very recently. They were not recognized as being indigenous. Therefore, they didn't have to go to resdiential schools or even day schools.
I hope Patty is ok? Mark is a great reporter too though. I'm already used to him and he's great. Is Mark just filling in or did he replace Patty? Oh man, I'm really going to miss Patty if so but mostly I just hope she's ok.
Every body is Cherokee. They even have Cherokee up in northern Alberta. Thats what they say any way. Ha, ha.
5$ INDIANS
A genuine question for those here who are indigenous. I understand that blood quantum is very dehumanizing so please understand that it not my intent in asking this question. What percentage of indigenous blood would you say is the minimum to have a valid moral claim of indigenous ancestry? I have a white friend who is very vocal about their indigenous ancestry and often claim it over their white ancestry.
I am African American with two grandparents that are both black and creek but I’m unsure how much of either and will be learning soon but until then I chose not to claim ancestry out of respect for the tribe and my own ignorance. My white friend is less than 15 percent indigenous and it always makes me feel uncomfortable when they call themselves indigenous since both visually and genetically they by and large are white and unless they say anything would be assumed white. Sometimes it comes off as a way for them to distance themselves their whiteness but I don’t really know if I’m in the right for thinking this.
If I were to relate to my experience as a black person it’d be like someone who looked white had a great great great grandparent that was black claiming that they were black. I don’t know if indigenous communities see it this way but I’m just curious. Again if anyone has any thoughts on when to claim indigenous identity then please let me know. I’m trying to approach this without being combative.
(Short Answer)- really depends on the tribe & tribal location. Most tribes don’t even incorporate blood quantum. At least not on the Eastcoast.
So I heard an elder recently say this, it is not about your blood quantum and it is not about who you claim it is about who in turn claims you. If your friend claims to be indigenous then they will have ties to their community , elders that they speak with, traditions and language and opinions and ideals and it will flow through him and out of him and not just a claim of indigenous blood but being indigenous no matter what you look like will flow through you whether you fancy dance or grass dance or drum or bead or basket weave or sing or speak the language fully or teach it, if you go to the sweat lodge if you know your traditional medicine and have your healer in your contacts list all of it is how being indigenous runs through you not just how it falls out of your mouth as a claim , you know? Because even if he has less than 15% indigenous blood if he has no ties then it doesn't matter if he's 100% indigenous by blood if there are no ties to the community to the culture at all in any real way then what is it worth to be 100% whether it is one drop or 100% it is made or broke on your connections with the tribe and every aspect of the culture and racial good and bad and in between of all of it. I hope this helps I know it is very frustrating when there's a friend claiming a racial heritage and you want to shake the crap out of them it happens to me often and I am very happy that when I can't sleep at night I go over how I would handle situations differently to educate and help people in the best way who are pretendians whether they know they are or not everybody wants to be an Indian till you got to be an Indian, you know? Well I hope this message reaches you well and in good health, I hope you have a good day or night whichever applies.
The problem is a lot of Eastern natives never signed a treaty. They still know they are native. I have one friend whose mother had status. His half-brother (same father, but mother is sister of his biological mother) has status. My friend has never seen if he can get native status. The only fly in the ointment I see is that he was adopted by a couple of Irish descent. Would that affect his claim, I wonder. Was he raised native? What does that mean in rural Eastern Ontario. I'm sure he was raised as native as his 3/4 brother. If you get native status, you get benefits like university tuition and healthcare, right? How many other people can't be bothered claiming this native status? And, yet, there are these Pretindians who do reap some benefit by saying that they are native.
Every tribal nation will have differing criteria.
Good topic. Is it just me or are the Pretendians always in it for a quick buck?
Some for much longer and propped up by gatekeepers, some Indigenous, who believe the lies and have no reason not to. Vetting should clear most of this up.
everyone in the positions they target are in it for a quick buck, fake or not.
Most Tribes aren’t federally recognized so what quick buck?
great segment on Pretendians
Yeah well I get mistaken for a native but have never claimed any status my parents even live on native owned land I get insulted like a native by some whites and hated by some natives as a non native.
@@AnnaLVajda
Oh please! What a load of crap.
Stop fibbing Pinocchio
Carrie bourassa 🤥🤫🤭
Now, we've got Vianne Timmons, former President of Memorial University of Newfoundland who resigned last week. She was President of the University of Regina for many years before coming to MUN. She saved the native university there apparently and get an important award for her help doing that. She doesn't claim a tribe, but she did claim to be a band member of an unrecognized native band for a couple of years a decade ago. Then, there Mary Ellen Turmel-Lefort who's married to a man with status and has status children and has a grandfather who worked with the natives at Norway House. She however was raised in Niagara Falls. She really did claim native status. She also falsified other biographical details. What's with these women? Shameless or what? I can't think of one item in my C.V. that is not correct. Yet, these prominent women falsify a lot in their C.V., especially Mary Ellen Turmel-Lefort.
Once identified as white, or disowned due to lack of sufficient blood quantum, it can be difficult to find the tribal connections - especially if ancestors crossed the 48th parallel.
We've found three Great Grandparents, but the maternal lineage is still elusive. I don't need to check a box, and I am connected to my father's clan. I am confident that time will reveal all.
Until that time comes, Danielle, here is how you identify; A colonial settler with Indian ancestry. This keeps you in full respect of the Nations sovereignty you hope to one day prove to belong too. Please remember, the Indian nation and the nation alone can identify. There are literally millions upon millions of settlers who are related to Indians. You are not alone! I dare say, probably the majority of settlers can find an Indian in their family trees. However, if we respect Indian sovereignty, we will accept that ONLY they can claim us. We can't claim them. If you visit the website of the Nation you believe to have heritage of, there and ONLY there, will you be able to see if you meet their method and standard of belonging. ONLY they have the authority to claim. You and I have 0% authority on this matter. It has been this way since time immemorial. Also please understand that perhaps you might find exactly what you're looking for, however it would still need to meet the Indian nations method of belonging. Through research, you'll understand that simply being related to a distant member, still might not meet their standard of belonging and because they are a sovereign nation, this is their call and their call only. "Time" doesn't reveal all, Danielle. "Sovereignty" reveals all.
Blood quantum measurement is a dehumanizing method of belonging. The majority of our Nations have moved beyond this forced colonial, measurement, that to this day is only used by a few Indian nations, dogs and horses. Because some Indian nations still do use this, it's only my opinion they too work on moving away from this method, but because they are sovereign, I do still respect their decision. Only they can make that call. I go into detail on my opinion on this in a comment or two in the discussion tab on my channel.
@@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism I agree completely on the sovereignty. I am not asking for recognition, simply to better understand my ancestors. I am confident that if I am meant to know then it will be revealed in it's own time.
@@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism I was raised in white culture and some of my ancestor's were indeed colonizers; and, I was raised Mormon, although I haven't stepped foot in a Mormon chapel in more than 30 years.
I also was raised Something Else. From any early age my father shared stories of the Sinixt people, which had learned from Grandfather Marchand. When we watched Cowboy and Indian movies, dad always told us a tribal history. He did the same at roadside monuments and regional museums. Even when it came to the church he shared stories from the tribal perspective and our family connections.
After his death, my job took me to Indian Country, although it was a hard sell to my boss. I would later work as a journalist for Indian Country Today. Even today, my dreams focus on ancient principles shared by my ancestors. I know these things through my experiences with my relatives indigenous to these lands.
I am a combination of all those who came before me. To simply label me a colonist with indigenous ancestry is to limit the being I am. Perhaps there is a compromise to be made that might better reflect the individual I am instead of a stereotype?
@@danyellerobinson5940 Firstly, you are a beautiful person Danyelle. This, no one can ever take from you. This has no compromise. Anyone to claim otherwise is a racist. You should be very proud of all the aspects that make up your heritage, be it settler, American Indian or history from elsewhere. Stand up and be proud that you share relatives in your family tree who were Indians and belonged to Indian Nations.
If you want to fully acknowledge and respect the Indian Nation that your relatives of the past belonged too, then the most vital and most respectful way you can do this, is by respecting that only their sovereign government has the authority to declare someone an Indian. Only they hold this right and no individual has the power, supremacy nor authority over their honorable, sacred government to lay claim to belonging, other than they do.
Instead of undermining their sacred inherit sovereignty that belongs to them and has belonged to them since time immemorial, what you can do Danyelle, is be proud of your Indian heritage, and be proud that you have ancestors who belong (or once did) to that nation and great pride in that heritage.
It's wonderful that their culture was shared with you as a child! Embrace that and treasure it forever! Look at the way it changed your perspective and made you want to reach out and help the Indian community? No one can tell you, that's wrong! That's awesome, you have such a great shared culture.
Honor it and respect it. The best way you can do this, is by acknowledging that no matter how much you wish you too, belonged to that nation, was born into it to meet the standards and methods of belonging that the their government has set, that you are instead a settler with some shared heritage. If even the heritage part is not provable either, then I would recommend, acknowledging that you are a settler with shared Indian culture, rather than even claiming heritage, if this is not exactly 100% known to you.
You are special for who you are Danyelle and you are doing what you do because of your history. Don't stop! Just be sure to be very honest with yourself and others with exactly what it is you do know and not just what your hopes are.
There is absolutely no shame in being a settler. There is absolutely no shame with being a settler who believes to have Indians in their family trees. There is no shame in being a settler who has grown up with Indian culture and feeling a strong connection to it.
We only cross the line Danyelle, if we take what is not ours to take. If we think we can claim, rather than be claimed. Walk with pride, truth and honesty, Danyelle. We need more settlers, just like you! We as sovereign nations however, must exert our sovereignty though, by asking that you never try to take. Being Indian is not simply an ethnic group. Indians are claimed by sacred, ancient, sovereign nations.
Accept your settler citizenship and respect that you have no citizenship of an Indian nation and by doing so, you will be able to fully embrace and love yourself for who you are Danyelle. We all deserve this much.
I hope these words bring comfort to you, though I fully understand from your perspective, they are also uncomfortable and they feel not so agreeable. I think if you will meditate on them though, rather than reject them, true healing for yourself will come, my honorable, loving, equal, sister.
My family has Seminole and Iroquois. We got that Creek in us. I grew up in indian country. I'm proud of it.
I think it is very harmful to Indigenous people that non Indigenous people pretend to be Indigenous. Even for those of us who are mixed because we deff do not need an outsider hurting any of us rather fully Indigenous or quarter anymore.
well... today men can pretend to women and even compete aganist women in sports.
I learn how to respect through topics like this. My final comment: My ancestors were settlers and native american. My name is Misty and that is what my parents called me. That is who I am to ALL.
5 dollar indian! LOL!
@Emly Adonis what are men ---> women?
@Emly Adonis i am not attacking you. im from europe and dont really know the rules for transition left or right anymore. 2022 and we have men competing against women in sports. confusing
@@Galimah You just commenting on everyone's comment to spread white hate. There's nothing wrong with being two spirited.
You make no sense! All your going by is what made you loose your land, the colonial system!
Lots of butt hurt'in going on here....
i agree. in this day and age men can even dress up like chicks and compete against them in sports
I didn't know that you were in this, Jerry!