Buffy Sainte-Marie Defends Indigenous Ancestry Amid Investigation

Singer and activist Buffy Sainte-Marie has responded to allegations that she falsely claimed to be Indigenous, stating that she has never lied about her identity. An investigation by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. had raised doubts about her heritage, but Sainte-Marie defended herself, saying she has always struggled to answer questions about who she is. She claimed to have been honest about her family background and stated that she does not know her birth parents. The investigation included a birth certificate indicating that she was born to white parents in Massachusetts. Sainte-Marie dismissed the inconsistencies as an attack on her character and explained that birth certificates of Indigenous children were often created by western governments after adoption or separation from their families. She emphasized that her Indigenous identity is rooted in community, culture, and love, rather than colonial record-keeping.