Some real things I know directly from field research with Indigenous peoples in the Philippines -- Part 2 of my already mind-numbingly long thread on why it's wrong to claim Indigenous identity when you're not Indigenous. This time focusing on the direct harm caused by fake IP's. I'm an anthropologist, and a Visayan from Mindanao, & Mindanawon because my strongest ancestral roots are in Mindanao. But I'm not an IP. Not from a Lumad ethnic group. But I work with/for a Lumad group, called the Higaunon. I've written a lot about them.

If you don't understand why it's wrong to claim Indigenous identity when you are not Indigenous, here's my 2 centavos. An unbelievably long thread. If you're in the USA, it's easy to understand WHY it's bad to cosplay Native American if you are not one. Whether you are white or brown or black. Not only is it in bad taste, but you also occupy and exploit spaces, resources, intellectual property, etc. that don't belong to you.

All Filipinos (x/o) should read this recent FB post by @RHIANAYAZZIE regarding someone named Rulan Tangen, who claims to be Indigenous. We should all be disgusted by a fellow Pinoy perpetuating this kind of fraud, appropriation, and erasure. Nakakahiya!
facebook.com/rhiana.yazzie/… FTR, so there's no ambiguity: While almost all Filipinos' ancestors are native (as in, not immigrants) to the Philippines, the category of "Indigenous Peoples" there is reserved for particular marginalized minority communities. Kapampangan is NOT one of them, & never has been.