{"id":29196,"date":"2022-10-28T10:45:43","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T14:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=29196"},"modified":"2022-10-28T11:13:21","modified_gmt":"2022-10-28T15:13:21","slug":"dina-gilio-whitaker-sacheen-littlefeather-was-a-pretendian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/10\/28\/dina-gilio-whitaker-sacheen-littlefeather-was-a-pretendian\/","title":{"rendered":"Dina Gilio Whitaker: Sacheen Littlefeather was a Pretendian"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\r\n\"Sacheen<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Sacheen Littlefeather, also known as Marie Louise Cruz, is seen backstage at the 45th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on March 27, 1973. Photo: UCLA Library Special Collections<\/a><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>\r\n
Sacheen Littlefeather and ethnic fraud \u2013 why the truth is crucial, even it it means losing an American Indian\u00a0hero<\/div>\r\n
Friday, October 28, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Dina Gilio Whitaker<\/a> (California State University San Marcos<\/a>)<\/div>\r\n
The Conversation<\/div>\r\n
theconversation.com<\/A><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\r\nWhen Sacheen Littlefeather died on October 2, 2022, obituaries reflecting on the actress and activist\u2019s life<\/a> held her up as a Native American trailblazer<\/a>.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nBut there is serious issue with this assessment: A suspicion among those who knew her \u2013 myself included \u2013 that her claims to American Indian heritage were not what they seemed has developed into outright claims of falsehood<\/a>. A report in the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> on October 22 claims that Littlefeather was a \u201cfraud.\u201d

<\/P>\r\n\r\nWritten by author Jacqueline Keeler, whose running \u201cAlleged Pretendians<\/a>\u201d list documents cases of Native American ethnic fraud, the article cites two of Littlefeather\u2019s sisters who say that their sibling lied about her heritage. Contrary to Littlefeather\u2019s half-century long claims, she has no White Mountain Apache or Yaqui heritage, according to the report.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nThe article has unleashed bitter online arguments, counter-articles<\/a> and intense criticism of Keeler<\/a>. In part, the reaction stems from calling out Littlefeather\u2019s alleged deception so soon after her death.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nIt also reflects the esteem many held Littlefeather in. Littlefeather skyrocketed to fame in 1973<\/a> when, based on her supposed Native American heritage, she rejected an Oscar for Marlon Brando in protest over the film industry\u2019s deplorable treatment of Native people. It cemented her position as \u201cpersona non grata\u201d in Hollywood but made her a heroine<\/a> to a new generation of American Indian people.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nAs a scholar who writes and teaches about American Indian cultural appropriation<\/a>, I believe that scrutinizing Littlefeather\u2019s claim to Native identity is necessary. \u201cPretendianism<\/a>\u201d \u2013 the act of falsely claiming American Indian heritage \u2013 does real harm, and the case of Littlefeather may shed light on why people make such claims, and how they get away with it.

<\/P>\r\n

Sacheen Littlefeather became famous as the \u201cApache\u201d actress and activist who accepted Marlon Brando\u2019s Oscar.

According to her biological sisters, \u201cLittlefeather isn\u2019t Native at all.\u201d And that wasn\u2019t the only thing she lied about.\u00a0https:\/\/t.co\/ZFC8l5xxGL<\/a><\/p>— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) October 22, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>