Baashkaakodin-giizis / Gashkadino-giizis (Freezing Moon/ Freezing Over Moon) (December 6, 2024)
Tammo Geertsema, is how I was called in a Facebook post that someone who apparently does not approve of me posted the other day and that went viral.
Tammo Galtjo Geertsema is, indeed, the name that's on my 1959 birth certificate. Zhaawano-giizhik is a name given to me later in life, in the year of 1982. Zhaawano-giizhik is my spirit name – or traditional name if you like. At birth, my parents named me after my paternal grandfather Tammo Geertsema. I was named Galtjo after my late uncle – Galtjo Geertsema from WV.
I am proud of that name since it reflects an old and proud family tradition...so far, so good.
But now, some self-aggrandizing woman from Canada, who calls herself Crystal Semaganis (her real name is Michelle Christine Cameron), a self-appointed 'Pretendian Hunter,' has, without approaching me first, put me on a 'Pretendian Blacklist,' and, on top of that, posted a racially biased post on Facebook about me which went viral. She further crossed the line by posting my Uncle's obituary online, which deeply upset Mary, my grieving cousin. For this, I will never forgive that woman.
The post about me – for which she used the above photo of me (showing my support for MMIW) * and a (copyrighted) artwork that she took from one of my websites without my consent – is full of blatant falsehoods and lies. Literally everything in that post is based on hearsay and false presumptions. The only statements in that post that are not false are that my birth name, is, indeed, Tammo Geertsema, that I am indeed an artist and a storyteller; and yes, it is true that I regularly post my stories and illustrations for everyone to read and to see. NEVER for commercial reasons, by the way.
This is what Michelle Christine Cameron "Crystal Semaganis" wrote about me:
Tammo Geertsema “Zhaawano Giizhik”
I was once FB with this one, and just assumed that because we had so many common friends, he must be Anishinaabe. Look at him, braids, storyteller, has several websites and lots of followers. Indian name, has to be legit.
Silly me, silly us.
Tammo Geertsema is Dutch (NO, I AM NOT DUTCH) from the Neterlands (NO, I AM NOT 'FROM' THE NETHERLANDS) and was raised in Houston, TX (NO, I WAS NOT RAISED THERE), and doesn’t have a drop of First Nations, Metis or Inuit blood in him (I ACTUALLY DO, OJIBWE FROM BAAWITING, THROUGH MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER). But he wants you to think he does. (TRUTH IS, THAT DESPITE MY PARTLY OJIBWE ANCESTRY, I NEVER CLAIMED OR EVEN SUGGESTED THAT I HAD A STATUS CARD OR WAS ENROLLED IN ANY TRIBE OR NATION.) He operates several pages, websites, and submits his posts to FNMI pages and groups across the Upper states and Canada. In fact, that’s how I came across him, he continually submitted his stories and Anishinaabe flavoured post to groups, that’s what he does.
His bogus white man Pretendian websites are: <zhaawanart.com> and <fisherstarcrerations.com> and he has a presence across all social media. He has been hired as Knowledge Keeper, Storyteller and Elder by orgs in both countries (THAT’S A BLATANT LIE. I WOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE ANYONE HIRE ME), and this proves that noone (SIC) checks on claims of FNMI identity.Whoever has hired this man (NO ONE EVER HAS), you’re getting inauthentic “Anishinaabe” teachings from a Dutch man (AGAIN, I’M NOT DUTCH), and he was reported to the Ghost Warrior Society by his own biological family who do not approve of his actions among our people (ANOTHER BLATANT LIE. SHE MUST MISTAKE ME FOR BUFFY STE. MARIE? MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER DO THAT. MY FAMILY IS PROUD OF OJIBWE BLOOD RUNNING THROUGH OUR VEINS). We are grateful for allies and for everyone who submits documentation to stop the Grift of the Pretendian. STOP hiring this man and buying his art and products. Stop the grift. <<end>>My first reaction was, "let her have her fun, I could not care less. The post is not even about me, since she doesn't know me personally and I do not even recognize myself in her hysterical description of me. It is simply projection of the twisted mind of a colonized, emotionally unstable attention seeker, and that's all there is to it. Besides, I had already decided not to respond to their public attacks." But then something happened that changed my mood. A friend pointed out to me that, when you type in "Tammo Geertsema" in the Google search bar, the above Facebook post (including the image of me) shows up on top of the search page. That really punched me in the face. I know how the Internet works. It means that as long as there is Internet, during my lifetime and long after that, my name will be linked with this woman's negativity and lies. No matter how much time passes, my name will be linked with her and her disturbed worldview. But what makes it even worse is that I feel like my grandfather's name and our family name are being stained by her and I will never forgive her for that. I simply cannot sit by idly anymore; having to watch that woman destroy anyone who happens to cross her toxic radar is just too frustrating.
So, I hit back – and this is just the beginning.
You want to be a true Indigenous person? You want to be a warrior who defends your Indigenous culture and values? You want to stop the cultural theft? You want your people to heal from the traumas and self-hate caused by the colonizers? Then stop thinking and talking like them. Step out of their polarizing mindset. 'Exposing' others or call them colonized does not make you more Indigenous or less colonized – on the contrary. It is just another hierarchical structure inherited from the colonizers, something that some Indigenous people seem to feel the need to create over and over again. You see, what these so-called Pretendian Hunters, these self-appointed guardians of 'pure' Native culture and identity actually do, is feed the Wiindigoo.
You see, the problem with these cyber-bullying "Pretendian Hunters" is that by allowing them to, unhindered by the slightest form of conscience, compassion, and remorse, unleash their lateral violence on the larger population of already angry Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island, will only result in more division. It creates a toxic climate encouraging the many damaged people out there to jump on their bandwagon and attack the people on their lists. 'Shaming and blaming' and 'Howling with the wolves in the forest' are popular pastimes these days.
You want to be a true Indigenous person? You want to be a warrior who defends your Indigenous culture and values? You want to stop the cultural theft? You want your people to heal from the traumas and self-hate caused by the colonizers? Then stop thinking and talking like them. Step out of their polarizing mindset. 'Exposing' others or call them colonized does not make you more Indigenous or less colonized – on the contrary. It is just another hierarchical structure inherited from the colonizers, something that some Indigenous people seem to feel the need to create over and over again. You see, what these so-called Pretendian Hunters, these self-appointed guardians of "pure" Native culture and identity actually do, is feed the Wiindigoo.
But enough is enough. Amii minik, mii-gwech! We will no longer tolerate it. The time is now to make our voices hear. We must stop feeding the Wiindigoo or she will devour us all.
My grandfather Tammo Geertsema, who survived two world wars, was like Gichi-misaabe. He was a righteous man who disliked injustice and dishonesty and was afraid of nothing. As a young adult and father, he fearlessly stood up against the Wiindigoo of his time. That is the legacy he left us. As a grandfather, he instilled in me the values of humor and moral steadfastness. Now, being a grandfather myself, I will honor his name and his example and proudly walk in his footsteps. Not just by using my talents as an artist and a storyteller to create beauty and keeping the old narratives alive, but also by taking no shit from any hatemongering 'Ghost Warriors' with severe mental health issues. Mii i'iw.
PS: The Ghost Warrior Society’s Pretendian list of individual people and their photos, after legal action by a Native woman from Canada whom Michelle Christine Cameron has been targeting as well, has been removed. Cameron's organization, however, still remains.
"You want your people to heal from the traumas and self-hate caused by the colonizers? Then stop thinking and talking like them. Step out of their polarizing mindset." Boom!! --Gizhig Nigig