Buffy Sainte-Marie opposes CBC investigation and questions her indigenous heritage

Buffy Sainte-Marie says a CBC News investigation that questioned her Indigenous heritage is an attack on her character, her life and her legacy.

“Being an ‘Indian’ has little to do with sperm tracking and colonial records: it has to do with community, culture, knowledge, teachings, who claims you, who loves you, who loves you and who your family is,” Sainte said. -Marie (82) said in a written statement to The Canadian Press.

The CBC’s claims were also included in an episode of the network Fifth estate Documentary film with interviews with Sainte-Marie’s family.

In the documentary and investigation, the CBC said it found Sainte-Marie’s birth certificate, which shows she was born in Massachusetts in 1941 to white parents. The CBC said the information was confirmed by Sainte-Marie’s marriage certificate, a life insurance policy and the US census.

A CBC spokesperson said in a statement to CBC.ca that the broadcaster stands by the story and that the evidence was presented fairly.

Sainte-Marie claimed she was born on tribal land and adopted by white parents.

Sainte-Marie said she “will not shy away from responding to any false accusation.” However, she said it was common for birth certificates to be “manufactured” after indigenous children were adopted or removed from their families. She said she had used a birth certificate all her life, the only document she had, according to the CBC. She added that she never knew if the birth certificate was genuine.

“I’ve heard from countless people with similar stories who don’t know where they came from and feel victimized by these allegations,” she said in her statement. “More importantly, this is my life – I’m not a piece of paper.”

Sainte-Marie also said that two estranged family members of CBC, whom she knows nothing about, are perpetuating a story made up by her alleged child molester.

In a previous statement on social media, Sainte-Marie wrote: “My Indigenous identity is rooted in a deep connection to a community that has significantly shaped my life and work.” She added that the CBC’s allegations “forced me to do this” To relive and defend my experience as a survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of my brother Alan St. Marie.”

The singer-songwriter is considered the first indigenous person to win an Oscar for co-writing the song Up where we belong for the movie A policeman and a gentleman.