Pretendians
Hosted by Robert Jago and Angel Ellis
What do some of the most prominent and successful Indigenous artists, leaders and professors have in common? They aren’t Indigenous.
There are hundreds of cases of Indigenous identity fraud that we know about, and likely thousands that we do not. So why do these so-called “pretendians” do it? How do they pull it off? And what happens when they are exposed?
In each episode of this riveting new podcast series, co-hosts Robert Jago (Kwantlen First Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe) and Angel Ellis (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) reveal unbelievable stories of audacious fraudsters and investigate the complex phenomenon of Indigenous identity theft.
Pretendians is a 2024 Signal Award Silver winner in the Documentary category and Best Co-Host Team categories.
Latest Episodes
Code Switch: In Lakota Nation, People Are Asking: Who Does a Language Belong To?
Today we’re bringing you something a bit different, made by our friends at NPR’s long-running, award-winning podcast, Code Switch.
November 20, 2024
Reclaimed: The Lifeblood of Navajo Nation
Today we’re bringing you something a bit different: the season premiere of “Reclaimed: The Lifeblood of Navajo Nation”.
November 11, 2024
Bonus: Kudos and Karendians
Robert and Angel take listeners under the hood of season one of Pretendians.
July 15, 2024
#6 Indigenish
In the Season Finale of Pretendians we explore what makes people fake being Native.
June 18, 2024
#5 Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Phonies
Being a Pretendian is a Hollywood tradition!
June 11, 2024
#4 Pretendian Hunters
What happens when Pretendian investigations go wrong?
June 4, 2024
#3 Make Native America Great Again
Kevin Stitt gave hope to the native people in Oklahoma when he announced his intention to run for Oklahoma Governor.
May 28, 2024
#2 Pretending in Prison
How do you get access to Native Programs in prison? Just say that you’re Indigenous.
May 21, 2024