Books & Audiobooks
real ones by katherena vermette is a fascinating novel about the concept of “pretendians.” Pretendian is a term that has been coined to refer to a person who has falsely claimed Indigenous heritage, often suggesting they have a connection to a specific Indigenous community. Indigenous Identity Fraud is another phrase used to describe what has sadly become a more prevalent issue in North American society; a quick Google search will reveal a list that includes academics, politicians and artists.
real ones is about a woman, Renee, who married into an Indigenous family and therefore feels that she can claim Indigenous heritage for herself. Going by the name Raven Bearclaw, she is a celebrated artist using a visual language associated with Woodland Art (originated by Norval Morrisseau) and she has been winning grants and awards meant for people of legitimate Indigenous background. The book begins with Renee’s two adult daughters learning that their mother’s hurtful lie is about to go public. Written in their voices, the chapters alternate between June and lyn, as this book takes a look at the impact such a toxic choice has on all the people around them. Both sisters are Michif in heritage from their father’s lineage, June is a Metis Studies professor, and lyn an artist working on ceramics inspired by First Nations history. How will their mother’s lies affect their sense of self as well as their relationships and careers?
In large part this book is about how trauma plays out in one’s everyday life, the blow of this latest revelation but also how earlier traumas have had great repercussions for June and lyn. vermette writes in a sparse manner, not a lot of detail or description of time period and setting, instead we are immediately and continuously immersed in the head space of these characters. We get to sit in their fears, anxieties and confusions. As June tells her sister at one point, “Well, we’re messy. But we’re also real!” This isn’t a book that necessarily needs to tie up all the loose ends by the last page, these characters know that they are works in progress and their “messy” authenticity is what makes this book such an engaging read.
vermette is a celebrated Canadian author and you might want to add her trilogy to your reading list: The Break, The Strangers and The Circle. As a companion piece to her novels, I would also recommend watching The Pretendians, a CBC Passionate Eye documentary by Anishinaabe author and playwright, Drew Hayden Taylor. You can access articles and information about this film using one of WPL’s digital resources, CBC Corner.