20 episodes

What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and professors have in common? They aren’t Indigenous. 
There are hundreds of cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not. So why do these so-called “pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are exposed? 
In each episode of this riveting new podcast series, co-hosts Robert Jago (Kwantlen First Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe) and Angel Ellis (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) reveal unbelievable stories of audacious fraudsters and investigate the complex phenomenon of Indigenous identity theft. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pretendians Canadaland Beyond

    • True Crime
    • 4.8 • 3.4K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
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What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and professors have in common? They aren’t Indigenous. 
There are hundreds of cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not. So why do these so-called “pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are exposed? 
In each episode of this riveting new podcast series, co-hosts Robert Jago (Kwantlen First Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe) and Angel Ellis (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) reveal unbelievable stories of audacious fraudsters and investigate the complex phenomenon of Indigenous identity theft. 


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Interview with a Pretendian

    Interview with a Pretendian

    Why do people pretend to be Native? Hosts Robert Jago (Kwantlen First Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe) Angel Ellis (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) begin their journey by asking someone who has been doing just that. 
    He’s not just your average imposter – "Grand Chief" Guillaume Carle is the king of the “pretendians", a French Canadian who made a small fortune creating his own fake First Nation and issuing phony Indian Status Cards to thousands of other identity thieves. 

    Pretendians cannot get made without you. For a limited time, become a Canadaland Supporter for just $2/month and get every episode one week early and ad-free.
    Sponsors: AG1 Betterhelp
    You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 37 min
    Pretending in Prison

    Pretending in Prison

    Marvin "Casper" Ouimet was your ordinary terrifying Hells Angel mob boss until he was sent to prison for conspiracy to commit murder. That's where he declared himself to be Indigenous. The prison asked no questions, and granted him access to a special program for Native inmates, in which prisoners get private cells, spiritual guidance, better food and ultimately – reduced sentences. But what about the real Natives in these programs?

    Hosts: Robert Jago & Angel Ellis 
    Credits: Jesse Brown (Publisher, Executive Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor, Mixer), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)   
    Pretendians cannot get made without you. For a limited time, become a Canadaland Supporter for just $2/month and get every episode one week early and ad-free. 
    Sponsors: AG1, BetterHelp
    You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 29 min
    Make Native America Great Again

    Make Native America Great Again

    Oklahoma's Republican governor Kevin Stitt is a card-carrying member of the Cherokee Nation. So why is he also considered the most "anti-Native governor" in history? A look at his family history reveals some wild surprises, and shows how Indigenous identity can be used as a weapon against Native nations.
    Pretendians cannot get made without you. For a limited time, become a Canadaland Supporter for just $2/month and get every episode one week early and ad-free. 
    Sponsors: AG1, BetterHelp
    You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 31 min
    Pretendian Hunters

    Pretendian Hunters

    What happens when Pretendian investigations go wrong? Robert talks to Jacqueline Keeler, the person behind the “Alleged Pretendians List". Then, he talks to Kiros Auld, whose name appeared on that controversial list. The problem? Kiros is legitimately Native.
    ​​Pretendians cannot get made without you. Become a Canadaland Supporter and get every episode one week early and ad-free.
    Sponsors: Betterhelp
    You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 27 min
    Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Phonies

    Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Phonies

    There are no shortage of stories about movie stars who played Native and kept the act going even after the cameras stopped rolling. Iron Eyes Cody, Sacheen Littlefeather, and Johnny Depp – being a Pretendian is a Hollywood tradition! A history of how they did it, and how well they were paid for it.

    ​​Pretendians cannot get made without you. Become a Canadaland Supporter and get every episode one week early and ad-free.
    http://canadaland.com/join

    Coming Soon: Pretendians (Official Trailer)

    Coming Soon: Pretendians (Official Trailer)

    What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and thinkers have in common? They aren’t Indigenous.  
    From major universities, to the halls of power, to Hollywood, there are people claiming to be Indigenous in the interest of power, money, and status. There are dozens of outrageous cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not. 
    So why do these so-called “Pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are exposed?  
    Find out on Tuesday, May 14.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 59 sec

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
3.4K Ratings

3.4K Ratings

TebsM ,

Great

I’ve been saving this podcast to binge. Just finished E1 and mother of pearl its even better than expected. I mean I knew it would be goon but I didn’t expect a master class if how to interview a grifter while not letting on that you’re on to the grift. The measured tone and patience was awe inspiring.

rswhittaker ,

10/10 Interviewing

As someone who felt that they were picking their jaw up off the floor throughout the entire interview with the “Grand Chief”, I was so impressed with how absolutely unflappable Robert was. Angel and Robert have a great dynamic and the first episode interviewing was tops — looking forward to more!

Bert_rum ,

Pretendians = promising start!

Just listened to the first episode, and I’m already hooked! The hosts are genuine and funny (without trying to be TOO funny, you know?) and the stories are as wild as any Netflix con-artist/scamfluencer documentary. Followed, and will definitely be checking the feed for new episodes.

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