US Edition‘Devastating’: Celebrated author says he is not Indigenous after investigation into ancestry
Thomas King accepted genealogical findings from the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds confirming no Cherokee ancestry, leading to cancellations and community impacts, while his publisher supports him.
- On Nov. 24, 2025, Thomas King acknowledged he is not Indigenous after the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds presented genealogical evidence in a Nov. 13 video conference.
- Family oral history traced to Elvin Hunt held that he was Cherokee, but a Tribal Alliance Against Frauds genealogist found no Cherokee ancestry on the Hunt or King sides, prompting King's search.
- King admits he received benefits linked to Indigenous identity and will return the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for arts and culture , while HarperCollins Canada said it has published him for over 30 years and supports his DreadfulWater series.
- Edmonton Opera cancelled Indians on Vacation after Treaty 6 Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers raised concerns; Thomas King calls it essentially the end of him and says he is not optimistic.
- An established literary figure, King is an award-winning writer with major honours including the Order of Canada, and he continues the DreadfulWater series with StarBright planned for May, 2026, amid parallels to disputes involving Joseph Boyden, Michelle Latimer and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
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24 Articles
Here are North America's top 5 fake Indians
The post-colonial grievance industry successfully infected the worlds of academia, entertainment, and politics over the past century with its anti-Western brand of revisionist victim politics. As a result, various middling individuals who were not personally injured by perceived historical injustices found it possible and even lucrative to exploit the guilt of the faultless many.Following the recent revelation that the Sacramento native dubbed b…
Thomas King's revelation he is not Indigenous sends ripples through culture sector (Canada)
Thomas King's revelation that he has no Indigenous ancestry sent ripples through Canada's cultural sector, while raising questions about what responsibility a person has when they claim a heritage they say they cannot prove. The 82-year-old author of "The Inconvenient Indian" revealed on M...
He has written a number of books on Aboriginal history and identity, including the uncomfortable Indian, which has been awarded many times.
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