The White Indian: Armand Garnet Ruffo’s Grey Owl and the Spectre of Authenticity
Almost from the moment he died, and it was revealed that he was not an Apache half-breed but an Englishman, Grey Owl has been depicted largely as a fake or fraud, an impostor. He is one of the numerous members of the Wannabe Tribe who claim to have special insight into the Aboriginal way of life. Ho...
| Published in: | Journal of Canadian Studies |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)
2002
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/jcs.36.4.171 https://utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/jcs.36.4.171 |
| Summary: | Almost from the moment he died, and it was revealed that he was not an Apache half-breed but an Englishman, Grey Owl has been depicted largely as a fake or fraud, an impostor. He is one of the numerous members of the Wannabe Tribe who claim to have special insight into the Aboriginal way of life. However, in his 1996 poetic biography Grey Owl: The Mystery of Archie Belaney, Armand Garnet Ruffo suggests that Grey Owl may not have been guilty of deception, at least as far as the First Nations are concerned. After all, Ruffo writes, not only were most Aboriginal people Grey Owl knew aware of his identity, but they were instrumental in his metamorphosis. |
|---|