Pretendians

Pretendians in post-secondary settings, and elsewhere, are currently much in the news. A pretendian is someone who claims Indigenous identity without being able to back this claim up with connections to an Indigenous community. See this interview: Professor under fire for claiming she is Indigenous.

This is not a phenomenon isolated to a single individual. Academics at several institutions across the country are being investigated. In addition, this problem is not limited to academia. Many areas of art and culture have been found to have pretendians in their ranks. Furthermore, this is not a new phenomenon. For a historical look at pretendians in the movie industry, see: Cowboys and Pretendians.

In the context of cultural safety in post-secondary settings the issue of pretendians is especially problematic as we seek to provide a safe space for Indigenous students and staff. It is important that local Indigenous communities provide the guidance in this complex issue.