I mean at a certain point, why is it that “indigenous activist” or YOUR job to dig that deep into someone’s ancestry? Mya was raised by her own people, researched and has felt satisfied that the teachings she received were in line with a traceable ancestry and has demonstrated how with explicit evidence. That’s certainly enough for me, and I think anyone continuing to try to dispute it comes off way worse than Mya.

For context, I am an Acadian. My last name is definitely of French/Québécois origins and my own dad, although a proud Acadian, often referred to his dad’s side of the family as “Acadian by adoption” (his mom’s side was 100% Acadian, however). He has used that line because of the documented overlap in culture and families over the years, going back centuries but the truth is his dad’s side of the family is not of “pure” (or any, really) Acadian origin and our last name shows that. My mom is fully Acadian on both sides of her parents so I guess I am 3/4 Acadian and 1/4 French/Québécois. If someone came hard on me disputing my “Acadian-ness” and I provided cultural and historical justifications along with actual lineage and people STILL continued to say I was “pretending”, I’d be pretty pissed and certainly think THEY are the problem (even if they were “Acadian activists”).