Elżbieta Wilczyńska: A New American Dream - the Case of Pretendians

Dr Elżbieta Wilczyńska (Wydział Anglistyki, Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu), “A New American Dream - the Case of Pretendians”, Noc Anglistów 29.11.2024

One of the most controversial issues discussed recently is the so-called "Pretendianism"—a term referring to the increasing number of people who claim to be Native Americans. Some of them apply for membership in state-recognized or federally recognized tribes based on a distant ancestral link they claim to have. Some indigenous nations admit them as legitimate members if the link is well documented, while others decline, asserting that the connection is too tenuous. It also occurs that some members are detribalized, meaning they lose their previously granted membership, as the grounds for it did not withstand the test of time. Those whose applications have been turned down often establish their own tribes.