Thomas King's Identity Crisis: The Canadian-American Author Who Claimed Indigenous Ancestry But May Not Have Had It
In a shocking revelation, renowned author Thomas King has admitted that his claims of Cherokee ancestry were baseless. For years, the California-born academic and writer had been open about his supposed Indigenous roots, often incorporating this aspect into his work. However, after consulting with genealogists from the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (Taaf), a group based in North Carolina, King has learned that he is not Cherokee.
According to Taaf, the genealogist found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry on either side of King's family lineage. The news has left King feeling "ripped in half," as he describes himself as a "one-legged man in a two-legged story." In an essay published for Canada's Globe and Mail, King expressed his shock and disappointment at the discovery.
As an advocate for Indigenous rights and identity, King had been vocal about the importance of authenticity. He had spoken extensively on topics such as identity fraud and the power dynamics involved in claiming Indigenous ancestry without proper verification. However, it appears that even he was not immune to this issue.
King's career has been marked by numerous accolades, including the 2014 RBC Taylor prize for non-fiction and the 2020 Stephen Leacock memorial medal for humour. He had also received a promotion to companion of the Order of Canada in recognition of his work. However, it seems that some of these honors may now be called into question.
In light of this new information, King has announced that he intends to return the National Aboriginal Achievement award he received in 2003. While this decision is understandable given the circumstances, it raises questions about whether such awards should be reserved for those who can demonstrate genuine connections to Indigenous communities.
As a prominent figure in Canadian literary circles, King's case highlights the need for greater scrutiny and verification when it comes to claims of Indigenous ancestry. His experience serves as a reminder that identity is complex and multifaceted, and that the line between authenticity and deception is often blurred.
In a shocking revelation, renowned author Thomas King has admitted that his claims of Cherokee ancestry were baseless. For years, the California-born academic and writer had been open about his supposed Indigenous roots, often incorporating this aspect into his work. However, after consulting with genealogists from the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (Taaf), a group based in North Carolina, King has learned that he is not Cherokee.
According to Taaf, the genealogist found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry on either side of King's family lineage. The news has left King feeling "ripped in half," as he describes himself as a "one-legged man in a two-legged story." In an essay published for Canada's Globe and Mail, King expressed his shock and disappointment at the discovery.
As an advocate for Indigenous rights and identity, King had been vocal about the importance of authenticity. He had spoken extensively on topics such as identity fraud and the power dynamics involved in claiming Indigenous ancestry without proper verification. However, it appears that even he was not immune to this issue.
King's career has been marked by numerous accolades, including the 2014 RBC Taylor prize for non-fiction and the 2020 Stephen Leacock memorial medal for humour. He had also received a promotion to companion of the Order of Canada in recognition of his work. However, it seems that some of these honors may now be called into question.
In light of this new information, King has announced that he intends to return the National Aboriginal Achievement award he received in 2003. While this decision is understandable given the circumstances, it raises questions about whether such awards should be reserved for those who can demonstrate genuine connections to Indigenous communities.
As a prominent figure in Canadian literary circles, King's case highlights the need for greater scrutiny and verification when it comes to claims of Indigenous ancestry. His experience serves as a reminder that identity is complex and multifaceted, and that the line between authenticity and deception is often blurred.
, I mean, you gotta feel bad for Thomas King - he's basically been living with this "thing" for years and now it's like, his whole world got flipped upside down 
. As an author who's always talked about identity and authenticity, you'd think he'd be one of the first to fact-check himself, but I guess even experts can make mistakes 
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. It's not just that he's not Cherokee, it's that he was using that claim to get ahead and make himself sound more important than he actually is. And now he's trying to take back some awards? I don't know if that's gonna fly with everyone... What's interesting is how this whole thing makes us think about whether or not these kinds of awards are even worth giving out 
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. On one hand, he's been a huge advocate for Indigenous rights and identity, which is amazing 
. But on the other hand, how could he just claim something without even verifying it first? 
It's like he was living in his own fantasy world 
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. I mean, you don't want fake authenticity being celebrated as real deal 
. But at the same time, it's not like he did anything wrong... or so we thought 
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. And also, how easy it is to get caught up in our own narratives and forget to fact-check 
. I mean Thomas King was such an advocate for Indigenous rights and identity, you'd think he'd be more careful with his own heritage 
. It's like King said himself, he's now in a position where he can learn from his mistakes, but it's hard to change what's been done. His case might be an example of how easy it is to get caught up in the passion for social justice, and how important it is to verify our claims before we act on them. The fact that he returned the award shows that he's willing to take responsibility for his actions, but at the same time, it raises questions about how to balance authenticity with fairness and inclusivity. 
It's a real head-scratcher.
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... I feel like Thomas King was trying to make a difference by being vocal about Indigenous rights, but then it turns out he wasn't even genuine about his own identity. It's like, what if all those people who claim to be part of a certain community just made that up? 
My English teacher always says we gotta be careful with our words and not spread misinformation. I guess this is a good lesson for us students, right? 
... gotta be fair and true, you know? 
It's a real shame too, 'cause he was like, totally passionate about Indigenous rights and identity 
... that's the way to go! 
anyway this is a major lesson learned about identity and authenticity and we need more awareness around this topic 
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. It's a wild ride, for sure 
it's not like it's hard to prove or anything. and now that he's admitted to being a poser, what does that say about all the other people who claim indigenous ancestry without verifying it first? 
should we just give everyone an award for showing up? 
it's a good reminder to be careful when it comes to our identities and where we come from, but also to not make assumptions or jump to conclusions. like, let's get the facts before we start celebrating someone's heritage, you know? 