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111. Pretendians

"Pretendians" are people who falsely claim a native American or indigenous Canadian identity. Amber and Julia look at the case of a Pretendian given three years in jail.

"Pretendians" are people who falsely claim a native American or indigenous Canadian identity.

In 2024, a 59 year old woman who falsely claimed her daughters were adopted Inuit girls was sentenced to three years in a Canadian prison. Karima Manji lied about her daughters' heritage to claim $150,000 from funds reserved for Inuit people. The judge sentenced her to more than the two years recommended by the prosecution, stating that Manji had "victimized the Inuit of Nunavut by stealing their identity."

Should crimes involving cultural appropriation attract a heavier sentence?

Hosts: Dr Julia Shaw and Amber Haque.

Producer: Shabnam Grewal
Assistant Producer: Rachel Oakes
Executive Producer: Innes Bowen
Production Coordinator: Juliette Harvey
Mix Engineer: John Scott
Commissioning Editor: Dylan Haskins
Assistant Commissioners: Izzy Lee-Poulton and Sarah Green

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41 minutes

Podcast