News · moment 29 of 29

Morning Star Bear: The Fake Native American Professor

from #279 - Flashmob Omicron Morning Star Bear | The Tim Dillon Show · #279

3 min

News

He covers the story of Carrie Bourassa (aka 'Morning Star Bear'), a Canadian indigenous health expert exposed as not Native American, joking about her tribal regalia, an academic outing her lineage, and imagining it as a mystery-movie twist ending.

In this bit7 moments
  • Morning Star Bear tearfully claims Bear Clan and Anishinaabe Medes identity from Treaty 4 territory while wearing full tribal regalia and a feather.
  • Indigenous studies professor Wynona Wheeler digs into genealogical records and takes findings to the media after being repulsed by how hard the woman worked to pass as indigenous.
  • Tim compares the unfolding story to a mystery movie where someone discovers the protagonist is a liar, ending with the revelation that she's not Native American at all.
  • Tim muses that you are what you are in your heart, before immediately pivoting to call the woman insane and criticize her appearance.
  • Don't move to Austin—you'll upset the apple cart down there, Tim warns, predicting Morning Star Bear will end up teaching at University of Austin with Barry Weiss.
  • After twenty years in Texas, Tim says he can't tell who's Native American and doesn't view someone's cultural ancestry as an extension of himself.
  • Sometimes a nice treat comes from someone who pretends to be Native American—they might give you a knife.
Mentioned here

Morningstar BearWynona WheelerUniversity of AustinBari Weiss

All 29 moments in this episode →