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 singer害羞草研究所檚 ancestry.
害羞草研究所淲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 害羞草研究所� should be reconsidered for this rightful honour,害羞草研究所� the Indigenous Women害羞草研究所檚 Collective said in a statement late Sunday.
The Indigenous Women害羞草研究所檚 Collective, which describes itself as a group of mothers, grandmothers, academics and activists advocating to stop colonial violence against Indigenous women, said it reviewed CBC害羞草研究所檚 story and watched 害羞草研究所淭he Fifth Estate害羞草研究所� piece, released on Friday. It said it believes Sainte-Marie deceived the public about her origin as an 害羞草研究所淚ndigenous Scoop survivor.害羞草研究所�
It said the deception allowed her to benefit from a false narrative that misled thousands of Indigenous people.
害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� the collective said in the statement.
害羞草研究所淲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.害羞草研究所�
CBC obtained Sainte-Marie害羞草研究所檚 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-Marie害羞草研究所檚 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-Marie害羞草研究所檚 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 CBC害羞草研究所檚 story that she doesn害羞草研究所檛 know who her birth parents are or where she害羞草研究所檚 from, but called herself 害羞草研究所渁 proud member of the Native community with deep roots in Canada.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渨ho could not care for her.害羞草研究所�
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 CBC害羞草研究所檚 presentation of the singer害羞草研究所檚 U.S. birth certificate as 害羞草研究所渃olonial record-keeping.害羞草研究所�
The Junos did not respond to a request for comment Monday but said last week that it had not seen 害羞草研究所淭he Fifth Estate害羞草研究所� show and had 害羞草研究所渘othing to provide.害羞草研究所�
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 it害羞草研究所檚 aware of the report about Sainte-Marie害羞草研究所檚 ancestry but does not comment on the possibility of honours being revoked.
害羞草研究所淭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.害羞草研究所�
The Canadian Screen Awards did not provide an immediate response.
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