I speak to a lot of historians/researchers as a journalist & know their work is necessary for our fight. Native scholars and tribal historians document our claims to the land & preserve our continued political existence. A racialized dismissal of their work is pretty weak. 1/4
However, proving who you are is necessary — or at least, representing yourself accurately. Advocacy based in truth is our most potent weapon. I don’t present myself as anything other than what I am. You can do the work w/out false claims to tribal identity. Many do. 2/4
Many folks who have a parent who is enrolled, but cannot enroll themselves still respect the sovereignty of their tribe and fight for it. They don’t misrepresent or overstate who they are. Once again, it is not necessary to do the work. 3/4
It is not Decolonial to allow fakes to claim to be us. And that is, for the most part, what happens without proof. In fact, it is the coup de grace of Colonization — where they become us. 4/4
#Pretendians
#Pretendians
