Wikipedia:WikiProject Indigenous peoples of North America/Determining Native American and Indigenous Canadian identities

This is an essay on article content. It contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more WikiProjects on how the content policies may be interpreted within their area of interest. This information is not a formal Wikipedia policy or guideline, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community.

Shortcuts WP:NATIVE-IDENTITY WP:NDNID WP:BLOODMYTH WP:CHEROKEEPRINCESS WP:NOTCHEROKEE

This page in a nutshell: Many misconceptions exist about who is and isn't Native American (or Indigenous Canadian), who decides, and how Wikipedians can accurately write on these topics, especially in BLPs. It actually is possible to check and reliably source these things. However, it takes more cultural familiarity than most Wikipedians may have. In an effort to help, members of the Indigenous Peoples of North America Wikiproject have written this essay.

Determining the status of those who claim Indigenous identity may seem complex or confusing to newcomers to the concept. However, while definitions can vary a bit between tribal communities, core principles and legal definitions are held in common. Indigenous identity is not simply defined by ancestry. It is not based on an individual's choice or personal belief. It is a community identity, solely determined by the tribal nation the individual claims to belong to.

As judge Steve Russell (Cherokee Nation) wrote:

The important issue is not who you claim but rather who claims you.^[1]

The United Nations forum on Indigenous Issues agrees that the person must be "accepted by the [Indigenous] community as their member."^[2] In alignment with Indigenous tribal consensus and legal precedent on the issue, self-identification or individual declarations of belief of Indigenous identity are insufficient sourcing for Indigenous identity on Wikipedia.

Indigenous identity is not a racial designation but is based on citizenship and immediate family relationships. Attempting to designate a person as Indigenous based on one distant ancestor would be akin to the outdated one-drop rule. Non-Natives who assert Indigenous identity based on one possible distant ancestor are often ignorant of the realities of contemporary Indigenous communities, sometimes to the extent of not knowing these Indigenous nations still exist.

Ethnic fraud, in the form of non-Native people attempting to pass as Indigenous Americans (aka pretendians) is common in the United States and in Canada. This is an extreme form of harmful cultural appropriation, which misrepresents and diminishes the lives of Indigenous people.^[3][4][5] The United Nations has expressed concern with the "misappropriation and misuse of indigenous peoples’ cultural heritage."^[6] The many tribes who have issued statements on the issue over the decades are also concerned about this problem.

The Native American Journalists Association created a video “Understanding Indigenous Claims and Connections."^[7] NHPR now no longer accepts self-identification as sufficient for claims of Native American identity. They state: "We now understand that verifying such claims – especially when it comes to people who claim leadership or speak on behalf of an Indigenous community and are not members of a federally recognized tribal nation – is part of our basic responsibility as journalists."^[7]

Members of the Indigenous Wikiproject have compiled this essay and these resources to help our fellow Wikipedians navigate questions of Native identity. Once you read further on the topic, it's not as complicated or mysterious as public perceptions suggest. You can always come over to the talk page and ask us specific questions at any time. We are happy to assist you!