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Jamake Highwater
Jamake Mamake Highwater (born Jackie Marks; February 13, 1931 – June 3, 2001), also known as "J Marks", was an American writer and journalist of Eastern European Jewish ancestry who mispresented himself as Cherokee.
In the late 1960s, Marks assumed a false Native identity, claiming to be Cherokee, used the name "Jamake Highwater" for his writings. As Highwater, he wrote and published more than 30 fiction and non-fiction books on music, art, poetry, and history. His children's novel Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey (1973) received a Newbery Honor. His book The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America (1981) was the basis of a PBS film documentary about Native American culture.
Marks was exposed as an impostor in 1984 by Assiniboine activist Hank Adams and reporter Jack Anderson in separate publications. Despite this, Marks continued to be widely perceived by the general public as Native American.
Jackie Marks was born on February 13, 1931, in Los Angeles to parents Martha (Turetz) Marks, then 27, and Alexander Marks, then 49; they were born in Philadelphia and New York City respectively. His parents each had immigrant grandparents of Eastern European Jewish ancestry. His family requested the Jewish Star of David for his father's military gravestone. Alexander Marks was a veteran of World War I.
While living in San Francisco, Marks started a small dance company, the San Francisco Contemporary Dancers. He was the principal director and choreographer from 1954 to 1967. Marks moved to New York City around 1969 and started publishing professionally as J. Marks. In New York, he started using the name Jamake Highwater and claiming to be Cherokee. At various times he said his father was Eastern Cherokee and his mother, whom he called Marcia Highwater, was Blackfoot/French.
As Jamake Highwater, Marks wrote and published more than 30 fiction and non-fiction books, including children's books, and works about music, art, poetry, and history. His pseudonym "Jamake Highwater" appeared on Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey (1973), a children's book; and The Sun, He Dies: A Novel About the End of the Aztec World (1980).
In 1981, Marks (as Highwater) published a non-fiction book, The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America. By this time, he had made many connections in the media world. PBS adapted this book as the basis of a documentary about Native American culture, The Primal Mind (1984). Marks served as the host of the documentary.
Marks "gained wide public exposure" as Jamake Highwater through making several documentaries on Native American culture for PBS television, and serving as host. In the 1980s, he was known nationally as a Native American figure. In 1993, Marks was a consultant on the TV series Star Trek: Voyager for the character Chakotay. Marks was responsible for verifying each script for accuracy concerning Native American issues.
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Jamake Highwater
Jamake Mamake Highwater (born Jackie Marks; February 13, 1931 – June 3, 2001), also known as "J Marks", was an American writer and journalist of Eastern European Jewish ancestry who mispresented himself as Cherokee.
In the late 1960s, Marks assumed a false Native identity, claiming to be Cherokee, used the name "Jamake Highwater" for his writings. As Highwater, he wrote and published more than 30 fiction and non-fiction books on music, art, poetry, and history. His children's novel Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey (1973) received a Newbery Honor. His book The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America (1981) was the basis of a PBS film documentary about Native American culture.
Marks was exposed as an impostor in 1984 by Assiniboine activist Hank Adams and reporter Jack Anderson in separate publications. Despite this, Marks continued to be widely perceived by the general public as Native American.
Jackie Marks was born on February 13, 1931, in Los Angeles to parents Martha (Turetz) Marks, then 27, and Alexander Marks, then 49; they were born in Philadelphia and New York City respectively. His parents each had immigrant grandparents of Eastern European Jewish ancestry. His family requested the Jewish Star of David for his father's military gravestone. Alexander Marks was a veteran of World War I.
While living in San Francisco, Marks started a small dance company, the San Francisco Contemporary Dancers. He was the principal director and choreographer from 1954 to 1967. Marks moved to New York City around 1969 and started publishing professionally as J. Marks. In New York, he started using the name Jamake Highwater and claiming to be Cherokee. At various times he said his father was Eastern Cherokee and his mother, whom he called Marcia Highwater, was Blackfoot/French.
As Jamake Highwater, Marks wrote and published more than 30 fiction and non-fiction books, including children's books, and works about music, art, poetry, and history. His pseudonym "Jamake Highwater" appeared on Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey (1973), a children's book; and The Sun, He Dies: A Novel About the End of the Aztec World (1980).
In 1981, Marks (as Highwater) published a non-fiction book, The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America. By this time, he had made many connections in the media world. PBS adapted this book as the basis of a documentary about Native American culture, The Primal Mind (1984). Marks served as the host of the documentary.
Marks "gained wide public exposure" as Jamake Highwater through making several documentaries on Native American culture for PBS television, and serving as host. In the 1980s, he was known nationally as a Native American figure. In 1993, Marks was a consultant on the TV series Star Trek: Voyager for the character Chakotay. Marks was responsible for verifying each script for accuracy concerning Native American issues.