Imagine spending your life championing a cause, only to discover the foundation of your identity might not be what you believed. This is the reality facing Thomas King, the celebrated author of 'The Inconvenient Indian,' whose work has profoundly impacted our understanding of Indigenous issues. But here's where it gets controversial... a recent revelation has shaken the very core of his identity.
King, a prominent Canadian-American author, has long been a voice for Indigenous peoples, exposing the injustices they face. However, after years of claiming Cherokee ancestry, a genealogist's findings have revealed a startling truth: he has no Cherokee heritage.
In an essay titled "A most inconvenient Indian" published in Canada's Globe and Mail, King shared the news. Rumors questioning his Cherokee background had circulated within both the arts and Indigenous communities for years. He met with the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (TAAF), a group dedicated to exposing Indigenous identity fraud, who were the primary source of these rumors. The genealogist working with TAAF found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry in his family lineage. King, at 82 years old, is coming to terms with this new reality. He states, "At 82, I feel as though I’ve been ripped in half, a one-legged man in a two-legged story."
King's career has been built on his identity as an Indigenous person. Born in California, he moved to Canada in 1980, teaching Indigenous studies at the University of Lethbridge. His work, lauded for its wit and exploration of Indigenous experiences, earned him numerous accolades. He won the 2014 RBC Taylor prize for non-fiction for his book The Inconvenient Indian and in 2020 won the Stephen Leacock memorial medal for humour for his work Indians on Vacation. That same year, he was promoted to companion of the Order of Canada.
King had always believed his grandfather, Elvin Hunt, had Cherokee ancestry. But the genealogist's findings contradict this long-held belief. In an interview, King mentioned his intention to return the National Aboriginal Achievement award, which he received in 2003, stating that the rest of his awards were based on his writing, not his ethnicity.
This isn't an isolated incident. Recently, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation investigation revealed that folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie was born to white parents, not Cree parents, as she had claimed.
King maintains he never intentionally misled anyone, genuinely believing in his Cherokee ancestry. He stated that offering an apology would imply wrongdoing, which he doesn't believe is appropriate, given his actions were based on his genuine belief.
But this raises a critical question: Does this revelation change the value of his work? Does the lack of Indigenous ancestry invalidate his contributions to the conversation? What responsibility do public figures have to verify their claims of heritage? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Do you think his awards should be revoked? Or does his writing stand on its own merit, regardless of his ancestry?
