We can claim Buffy Sainte-Marie! (Stoneham, Washington: home, live in, legally)

[Amontillado]

Buffy Sainte-Marie was a singer who was popular in the 1960s and 70s, who identified as a Cree Indian from Canada. It's now emerged that she was actually born to an Italian-American family in Stoneham, Massachusetts in 1941, and didn't become associated with the Canadian Indians ("First Nations" as they say in Canada) until she was in her 20s. Some people have tried to claim that maybe she really was Indian but was taken away by the authorities in Canada and adopted elsewhere, but it's not true; her birth certificate is on file. So, there's another well-known person from Massachusetts.

[goldenage1]

I did not know that she came from an Italian family, but that does not diminish her talent. I really liked her when I was in my twenties.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

Buffy Sainte-Marie was a singer who was popular in the 1960s and 70s, who identified as a Cree Indian from Canada. It's now emerged that she was actually born to an Italian-American family in Stoneham, Massachusetts in 1941, and didn't become associated with the Canadian Indians ("First Nations" as they say in Canada) until she was in her 20s. Some people have tried to claim that maybe she really was Indian but was taken away by the authorities in Canada and adopted elsewhere, but it's not true; her birth certificate is on file. So, there's another well-known person from Massachusetts.

Not necessarily.

In the 40s First Nations kids were scooped up from their families and adopted out.
In the 40s Massachusetts baby adoptees sometimes were given new birth certificates with their new families.

No one disputes she grew up in Stoneham and went to UMass. We could have claimed her 80 years ago.

In 1964 she became a member of the Piapot Cree nation. Legally she's First Nation. End of story.

Most Canadian Indians live in Toronto or Vancouver. Toronto has more Canadian Indians than the rest of the country combined! Interestingly, more Canadian Indians are Sikh than Hindu, a historic remanent. Up until 1950, 95% of Canadian Indians were Sikh. On the way home from Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, Punjabi Sikh regiments were urged to retire in BC - in part to stop us from claiming it - in 1891 just 98,000 people lived there vs. 360,000 in Washington.

[Amontillado]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Not necessarily.
In the 40s First Nations kids were scooped up from their families and adopted out.
In the 40s Massachusetts baby adoptees sometimes were given new birth certificates with their new families.

You can say that, and people have been saying it. The CBC news story mentions it too, but they also quote plenty of other stuff that contradicts it, including statements from family members, who've periodically spoken about her over the years. Back in 1964, her uncle "told the paper that, contrary to the Look article, Sainte-Marie “has no Indian blood in her” and “not a bit” of Cree heritage." He'd presumably have known her all her life, so you have to wonder.

[NorthofHere]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

I did not know that she came from an Italian family, but that does not diminish her talent. I really liked her when I was in my twenties.

No but what does is the fact that when her brother started telling news and tv organizations that she was not adopted and that she was not Indian she threatened him with false claims of sexual abuse against him. She later put it in her book (after he died) that he was the one who abused her, a lie. She is a horrible person. Her brothers daughter (or maybe granddaughter) came across letters to their (Buffy and brother's) father that he was dropping trying to get the record straight for the family because of her threats. She deeply hurt her family. I have no respect for her.

[G1..]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_Sainte-Marie

[BOORGONG]

There must be a little Cherokee or Apache girl somewhere passing herself off as a Sicilian folk singer. I wonder will she be able to keep the cover from being blown as long as Buffy the authenticity slayer has…