Jamake Highwater

Jamake Highwater, born Jackie Marks in 1931, was an American writer and journalist who, starting in the late 1960s, adopted a false Native American identity, specifically claiming to be Cherokee. Under the name Jamake Highwater, he authored over 30 books on various subjects including music, art, poetry, and history, with a particular focus on Native American culture. His children's novel "Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey" earned a Newbery Honor, and his book "The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America" was adapted into a PBS documentary. Despite being exposed as an imposter in 1984 by activists and journalists who highlighted inconsistencies in his biography and origins, Marks continued to be widely recognized by the public as a Native American figure. He also hosted the PBS documentary based on "The Primal Mind" and consulted on the TV series "Star Trek: Voyager."

Operating under the pseudonym Jamake Highwater, Jackie Marks produced a prolific body of work, publishing more than thirty books. These writings spanned genres from fiction and children's literature to non-fiction explorations of music, art, poetry, and history. His children's novel, "Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey" (1973), achieved significant recognition with a Newbery Honor. Furthermore, "The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America" (1981) served as the foundation for a PBS documentary of the same name, which delved into Native American culture. Marks himself hosted this documentary, further solidifying his public image as an authority on the subject. His contributions extended to writing for "The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians" and the "Los Angeles Free Press," all under the Highwater name.

Jackie Marks, born to Eastern European Jewish parents, began assuming a Native American identity, specifically Cherokee, around 1969 after moving to New York. He provided various and often conflicting accounts of his supposed background, including claims of adoption by a Greek-American or Armenian family, or that his parents were Cherokee. These claims were systematically debunked in 1984 by Assiniboine activist Hank Adams and investigative journalist Jack Anderson. Adams's article highlighted numerous biographical inconsistencies, while Anderson's column questioned the authenticity of Marks's persona. Despite this exposure, Marks continued to benefit from the public perception of him as a Native American figure.

Marks's false claims to Native American ancestry led to accusations of inauthenticity and stereotyping from Native American activists and intellectuals. They argued that he had illegally obtained over $825,000 in federal grant money through misrepresentation. Following the exposés, Marks ceased using Cherokee heritage in promotional materials but maintained his established public image. He later published an autobiography where he mused on the mystery of his identity. Even after his death in 2001, mainstream obituaries repeated his fabricated background. Activist Hank Adams publicly denounced Marks, stating he had "stolen voices" and blocked funding for genuine Native writers, while acknowledging his significant commercial success and continued presence in educational curricula.

“the greatest mystery of my life is my own identity.”

“This man was the Golden Indian … he made gold, he made money. It's about stolen voices … he blocked millions of dollars in funding to real Indian writers. We ended his federal funding and TV contracts, but he's still an Indian author, he sold more books than Vine Deloria, his work is still taught in schools and universities to Native and non-Native students. He died an Indian, his lawyer handles his estate and all its Indian royalties. At least this ends it for sure … it finishes his career as an Indian and an Indian expert. He's Jack Marks…not Jamake Highwater. Remember that. He's Jack Marks … not Jamake Highwater. There never was a Jamake Highwater.”