A "Certificate Of Indian Status Card" certifies that your Native Indian Artwork is authentic, and that it was created by a Native Indian Person.
Joe Jack teaching Dionne and Keysha how to use a traditional Cowichan Spear.
The traditional Artwork of British Columbia's Native Indian People:Over the years the Native Indian people have watched as non-native people have studied, learned, and creatively replicated Native Indian art, and then continuously sold it for their own personal financial gain on the commercial art market. There should be ethical, moral, and legal truth in Advertising: Any Native Indian products that are being sold using advertisement claims for example "Native Indian Jewelry", it should in actuality be produced by a certified Native Indian of an Indian Band/Tribe. Or if the products are advertised for example as "Salish, Haida, Nootka, or Tsimshian ", it should be legitimately produced by someone who is in actuality an Indian Band Member of a Salish, Haida, Nootka, or Tsimshian Indian Band/Tribe. What is a Certificate of Indian Status Card? The "Certificate of Indian Status" is an identification card that is delivered free of charge only to persons that genetically qualify for it through the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND). The Certificate of Indian Status (CIS), more commonly referred to as a "Status Card", is an official form of identification issued by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) to a person who is registered as an Indian under the provisions of the Indian Act.
Why does INAC issue a status card? The status card is issued to confirm the cardholder's hereditary recognition as a Native Indian by the Government of Canada, and as a person who is registered as an Indian under the Indian Act. The Indian Register contains the names of all Status Indians. It also has information such as dates of birth, death, marriage and divorce, as well as records of persons transferring from one band (or Native Indian Community) to another.
A Certificate of Indian Status Card is your Certificate Of Authenticity. When purchasing Native Indian Art establish that the artist is actually Native Indian by requesting to view their Certificate of Indian Status Card. A Status Indian will have no apprehensions in helping provide you with information to verify the authenticity of your newly purchased Artwork. A "non-native" Artist will come up with excuses as to why they don't have a Status Card (or act offended). Please note that a Certificate of Indian Status Card is relatively easy to acquire for Native Indian descendants, and all Native Indians use it on almost a daily basis.
"Speaking straight forwardly about difficult issues is very important in life, and it's one of the greatest challenges in life’s journey. We as Indian people actively participate in our Communities; the traditional ceremonies, the weddings, the funerals, Band politics, and we all spend time teaching the young. The non-native people who do our traditional art have no investment in our Native Communities”. Artist Joe Jack.
When purchasing Native Indian Art: A counterfeit Native Indian Artist (non-native/status) will generally promote his or her artwork as Native Indian Art by misleading, omitting, or falsifying claims that their Artwork/Product is in someway, or form, genuine Native Indian Art, connected, or originating from Native Indian Ancestry. When purchasing Native Indian Art here are some subtle warning signs that generally indicate a counterfeit Native Indian Artist:
They will not have a Certificate Of Indian Status Card.
They will not live on an Indian Reserve.
They will generally not reside within the Indian territory that they imply to originate from (Salish, Nootka, Haida, Tsimshian, etc.).
They will generally have non-native features, and characteristics.
They will generally be married to a non-native person.
They will have children who look non-native.
They will usually try to have other people refer to them, as being that of Native Indian, generally media sources such as newspapers, Ads, etc. Grey Owlis a perfect example of this technique.
Tyson Jack paddling a Salish Racing Canoe.
Don't Buy A Lie:The number one reason that the non-natives who do Native Indian Art lie about being Native Indian is so that they can legitimize their counterfeit Indian Art and get a higher price for it. If you're buying from an Internet website do everything you can to verify the authenticity of the piece of art. Find out where the artist is from, do they have Indian Status? What band/tribe do they belong to, and don't hesitate to contact the Indian Band/Tribe of that artist to authenticate the validity of the item you are considering purchasing. Non-Native artists who produce Native Indian Art will generally link their website (or seek to be included) in other Indian Organizations websites to give the consumer the misleading appearance that their artwork/product is in someway genuine, and that it is supported by other Native Indian Organizations.
Cowichan Indian Artists 1912
Before buying Indian Arts or Crafts at powwows, art shows, or juried competitions, check the event requirements on the authenticity of products being offered for sale. If the event organizers make no statements on the authenticity of the Indian Arts and Crafts offered by the participating artists, ask the individual artist directly if they're Status Indian, and ask to see their Indian Status Card. Don't be shy, and when money is involved, take absolutely nothing for granted. If you purchase a counterfeit Native Indian Art or Craft product- represented to you as Native Indian Art, or Indian-made, and then you learn that it actually is not made by a Native Indian as legally defined by the Government of Canada. First contact the dealer or artist that you purchased it from to request a "full refund". If the dealer or artist does not respond to your request, contact your local RCMP, Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, or Small Claims Court; deal with it as you would with any consumer fraud. Important information on the strict inclusion requirements and guidelines for the Government Of Canada's "Aboriginal Canada Portal".
The above “Certificate Of Indian Status” information was supplied through the joint efforts of various Native Indian Artists, and Native Indian Organizations in the attempt to curtail the illegal exploitation of First Nations Art & Culture. Joe Jack Design Studio fully endorses all joint actions and efforts taken to put an end to the Native Indian Counterfeit Artists and Art in Canada.
