It’s an awkward time in the upper echelons of the Canadian cultural establishment. It’s come to light that influential indigenous author and former broadcaster Thomas King, isn’t actually indigenous at all.

It matters, because King has spent much of his 82 years claiming to speak on behalf of the indigenous peoples of North America, and his role in shaping Canadian perception of their First Nations has been enormous. His books have served as standard texts in Canadian schools and universities for over 20 years.

When King came to Canada, he was able not only to dine out on his purported indigenous background, but to make it the central facet of a lucrative career

Born in the US, King came to Canada in 1980 to teach native studies at the University of Lethbridge. His claim to be indigenou

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