Pretendians - Pretend Natives and Fake Tribes Cause Real Harm
We have a word --- Pretendian. (Okay, mostly we just roll our eyes, and the words we use aren't in your language, or when they are -- they're in southern accents, or First Nations accents, and they're pretty rude, vulgar, irritated, and tired.) But let's look at that other word. Pretendian. Someone who pretends that they're an Indian. Why would they do this? I honestly have no fucking clue, in modern America. This is because...shock and horror...I actually am one. But in the last few decades it has become trendy, and lately even fashionable, to claim native ancestry. To the point where there are those who are now inventing their own Native tribes. (Hey kids, it's all the rage! Invent your own native tribe by stringing together some words, incredibly-offensive-John-Wayne-movie-style! Or claim your ancestors were on our land before we were, and that makes you the "real" natives!) You can often recognize these people because they'll