Defending Sovereignty: The Fight Against Fake Tribes

The Cherokee Nation’s long-standing Fake Tribes Task Force, established under former Principal Chief Chad Smith and reportedly continued under the Hoskins Administration, has worked to expose groups that falsely claim to be tribal nations. Their mission is clear: to protect the sovereignty, culture, and identity of the Cherokee people and all federally recognized tribes.

False groups and self-proclaimed “heritage tribes” pose a direct threat to tribal sovereignty. For the Cherokee Nation, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians—each with continuous, inherent sovereignty long before contact—these impersonators undermine hard-won recognition and legitimacy.

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The legal definition of “Indian” is well established under federal law, yet many of these organizations ignore it. Instead, they build false identities through fabricated stories, “past life” claims, or artificial ceremonies. In doing so, they infringe upon our elders, our culture keepers, and the integrity of Native identity itself.

Even more troubling are individuals who falsely claim Native heritage to profit from teaching Cherokee or Indigenous culture. Such acts are predatory, echoing the paternalism of past eras when outsiders claimed to know better than Native communities how to educate their own children. In recent years, the Cherokee Nation has exposed fake academics presenting themselves as cultural authorities while exploiting our traditions for personal gain. These actions not only mislead the public but inflict new trauma on our youth and communities.

Protecting sovereignty requires truth and accountability. Academic institutions and organizations must verify that anyone presenting as an Indigenous scholar or educator is a citizen of a federally recognized tribe. While there are individuals who meet the Bureau of Indian Affairs definition of “Indian” but are not enrolled citizens—often due to specific lineage or blood quantum rules—transparency remains essential. Claiming Native identity without citizenship is not merely a misrepresentation; it is an attack on the foundation of tribal sovereignty itself.

As Cherokee Nation citizens often remind the world: we are not members of a club—we are citizens of a Nation. That distinction is the core of our sovereignty, our governance, and our right to define who we are.