A group of Indigenous women is calling for Buffy Sainte-Marie to lose her Juno Award for Indigenous album of the year, after a CBC story raised doubts about the singerB次元官网网址檚 ancestry.
B次元官网网址淲e invite the Juno Awards Committee to revisit this 2018 category and explore ways of righting a past wrong. All Indigenous artists in this 2018 category B次元官网网址� should be reconsidered for this rightful honour,B次元官网网址� the Indigenous WomenB次元官网网址檚 Collective said in a statement late Sunday.
The Indigenous WomenB次元官网网址檚 Collective, which describes itself as a group of mothers, grandmothers, academics and activists advocating to stop colonial violence against Indigenous women, said it reviewed CBCB次元官网网址檚 story and watched B次元官网网址淭he Fifth EstateB次元官网网址� piece, released on Friday. It said it believes Sainte-Marie deceived the public about her origin as an B次元官网网址淚ndigenous Scoop survivor.B次元官网网址�
It said the deception allowed her to benefit from a false narrative that misled thousands of Indigenous people.
B次元官网网址淲e acknowledge that Buffy Sainte-Marie was traditionally adopted into the Piapot family 60 years ago under the sacred Cree laws of Wahkotowin. We respect the privacy of her family, friends, colleagues and fans, and their decision to remain supportive and loving toward her,B次元官网网址� the collective said in the statement.
B次元官网网址淲e understand that traditional adoption comes with great responsibilities, it does not provide anyone permission to falsely claim Indigenous origin identity. Being adopted into an Indigenous family and community does not authorize anyone to speak on behalf of our all of our people.B次元官网网址�
CBC obtained Sainte-MarieB次元官网网址檚 birth certificate, which says she was born in 1941 in Stoneham, Mass., to Albert and Winifred Sainte-Marie. The document lists the baby and parents as white and includes a signature of an attending physician.
CBC said Sainte-MarieB次元官网网址檚 marriage certificate, a life insurance policy and the United States census corroborate the information on the birth certificate.
Family members in the U.S., including Sainte-MarieB次元官网网址檚 younger sister, also told CBC that the musician was not adopted and does not have Indigenous ancestry.
Sainte-Marie, 82, said in a statement the day before CBCB次元官网网址檚 story that she doesnB次元官网网址檛 know who her birth parents are or where sheB次元官网网址檚 from, but called herself B次元官网网址渁 proud member of the Native community with deep roots in Canada.B次元官网网址�
The singer also provided an affidavit from a former lawyer tasked with looking into her Indigenous heritage. It says oral history from Saskatchewan explained Sainte-Marie was born north of Piapot First Nation to a single woman B次元官网网址渨ho could not care for her.B次元官网网址�
Sainte-Marie has long and intimate ties with what she says is her home community of Piapot, northeast of Regina. Members from the community have said Sainte-Marie is family and dismissed CBCB次元官网网址檚 presentation of the singerB次元官网网址檚 U.S. birth certificate as B次元官网网址渃olonial record-keeping.B次元官网网址�
The Junos did not respond to a request for comment Monday but said last week that it had not seen B次元官网网址淭he Fifth EstateB次元官网网址� show and had B次元官网网址渘othing to provide.B次元官网网址�
Sainte-Marie has also received many other notable awards, including the Order of Canada in 1997 and a Gemini, now known as the Canadian Screen Awards.
The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General said in a statement that itB次元官网网址檚 aware of the report about Sainte-MarieB次元官网网址檚 ancestry but does not comment on the possibility of honours being revoked.
B次元官网网址淭he Order of Canada advisory council reviews nominations and makes appointment recommendations to the Governor General. This same council can also make a recommendation to terminate an appointment.B次元官网网址�
The Canadian Screen Awards did not provide an immediate response.
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