It has become more and more popular for individuals, without any claim or long-standing connection to ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ, ᐃᓄᐃᐟ, ᒥᓇ ᐊᐱᑕᐃᐧᑯᓯᓴᓇᐠ (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) heritage, to re-invent themselves as a voice for our communities. We call individuals who engage in this form of self-identification, or race shifting, pretendians. A past example from the 1930s is Grey Owl, and current examples include specifically named faculty at Queen’s University. They convinced people with influence - and everyday people - of their place as spokespeople for our communities. When they were exposed by the very people to whom they claimed connection, they used examples of one or two distant ancestors, yet they had no proof of status and their claims were not supported by the communities, to which they lay claim.

They appropriate the ideas and struggles of the ᓂᑕᐠ ᐊᐃᐧᔭᐠ (Original Peoples) of this land and claim them as their own. In doing so, they have denied our authentic voices and the rightful place of our people to speak. This is all for their own personal gains, including financial profit and publicity.^1(footnote)

Reflect on the role of museums in taking our sacred items and putting them on display or hiding them in storage.

Consider how individuals who cannot locate themselves in our communities have engaged in identity theft. How might identity theft also be a systematic approach to squeezing us off our land and reducing our access to life sustaining food and water? How might a large change in who can claim status shift the discourse in favour of the agendas of corporations and government?

What are the dangers of offering sacred teachings when you are not a ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᑲᐱᒥᓂᔕᐦᐊᑭᐣ (Traditional Practitioner)? Our ᐃᔑᑕᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ (ceremonies) are not for sale.^2(footnote) ~ Mona Stonefish