Buffy Sainte-Marie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Buffy Sainte-Marie CC
Sainte-Marie in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Beverley Jean Santamaria
Born	(1941-02-20) February 20, 1941 (age 84) Stoneham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Folk rock country folk
Occupation(s)	Musician singer-songwriter composer record producer visual artist educator social activist actress humanitarian
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboards
Years active	1963–2023
Labels	Vanguard Angel/EMI Capitol/EMI Island MCA Appleseed Ensign/Chrysalis/EMI
Associated acts	Pete Seeger, Leonard Cohen, Patrick Sky

Buffy Sainte-Marie (born Beverley Jean Santamaria on February 20, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, and activist. She is known for her music and her work to help people.

Buffy Sainte-Marie's songs often talk about love, war, and important issues for Native Americans and First Nations people. She has won many awards for her music and her efforts in education and social change.

In 1983, her song "Up Where We Belong", which she co-wrote for the movie An Officer and a Gentleman, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. It also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song that same year.

For many years, Buffy Sainte-Marie said she had Indigenous Canadian family roots. However, in 2023, an investigation by CBC News suggested she was born in the United States and has Italian and English family background. This led to some discussions about her awards and honors.

Early Life and Education

Buffy Sainte-Marie was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts, U.S. Her parents were Albert and Winifred Santamaria. Her father's parents were from Italy, and her mother's family was English. Her family later changed their last name from Santamaria to Sainte-Marie.

She went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. There, she earned degrees in teaching and philosophy. She was one of the top students in her class.

Music Career and Activism

Starting Out: 1960s and 1970s

Sainte-Marie performing in the Netherlands in 1968

Buffy Sainte-Marie taught herself to play piano and guitar when she was young. In her early twenties, she traveled and performed her songs. She played in concert halls, folk music festivals, and First Nations communities. She spent time in coffeehouses in Toronto and New York City. She was part of the folk music scene with artists like Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell.

In 1964, she released her first album, It's My Way. One song, "Universal Soldier", became famous. It was a protest song inspired by soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. Billboard magazine named her Best New Artist.

Some of her songs talked about how Native Americans were treated. Songs like "Now That the Buffalo's Gone" (1964) and "My Country 'Tis of Thy People You're Dying" (1966) caused some debate.

Sainte-Marie in 1970

Other well-known songs include "Mister Can't You See" (a hit in 1972). She appeared on TV shows like Rainbow Quest with Pete Seeger and Sesame Street. On Sesame Street, she taught children about Native Americans. She wanted to show young viewers that "Indians still exist." She was on the show regularly from 1976 to 1981.

In 1979, she created the music for the film Spirit of the Wind. This film was about a champion dog sled racer named George Attla.

Continued Success: 1980s and 1990s

Buffy Sainte-Marie started using computers in 1981 to record her music. This was very new for the time.

Her song "Up Where We Belong" won an Academy Award in 1982. It also won a Golden Globe Award in 1983. This song was very popular and is still loved today.

In 1989, she wrote music for Where the Spirit Lives. This film was about residential schools where Native children were forced to give up their culture.

Sainte-Marie playing at the Peterborough Summer Festival of Lights in 2009

In 1992, she released Coincidence and Likely Stories. She recorded this album at home in Hawaii using her computer. She sent the music over the internet to her producer in London. This was a very modern way to make music back then. The album included songs about the challenges faced by Native Americans.

She also started the Nihewan Foundation in 1996. This group helps Native American students with their education. She also founded the Cradleboard Teaching Project. This project connects Native American classrooms with non-Native classrooms. It helps students learn about different cultures.

Later Work and Retirement: 2000s to 2023

Sainte-Marie performing in Northampton, Massachusetts, June 2013

In 2002, Buffy Sainte-Marie sang at the Kennedy Space Center. This was for Commander John Herrington, the first Native American astronaut. In 2003, she became a spokesperson for UNESCO in Canada.

In 2008, she released her album Running for the Drum. In 2015, her album Power in the Blood won the 2015 Polaris Music Prize. This is a major music award in Canada.

In 2017, she released the song "You Got to Run (Spirit of the Wind)". This song was inspired by the dog sled racer George Attla.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is the subject of a 2022 documentary film called Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On. In August 2023, she announced she was retiring from live performances. This was due to health reasons.

Claim of Indigenous Identity

Copy of Sainte-Marie's birth certificate issued by the town of Stoneham, Massachusetts, U.S.

Buffy Sainte-Marie has said she was born on the Piapot 75 reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada. She said her parents were Cree. She also said she was taken from her family as a baby. This was part of the Sixties Scoop, a policy where Indigenous children were placed with non-Indigenous families.

Early in her career, some newspapers called her Algonquin or Mi'kmaq. Later, she was often called Cree. She said she was adopted as an adult by Chief Emile Piapot and Clara Starblanket. Their great-granddaughter, Ntawnis Piapot, confirmed this adoption. She said it followed traditional Cree customs.

Some of Buffy Sainte-Marie's relatives have said she is not Indigenous. Her uncle, Arthur Santamaria, wrote in 1964 that she had no Indigenous blood. Her brother, Alan Sainte-Marie, also wrote to newspapers saying she was not born on a reserve and had European parents. He said she was not Indigenous.

In 2023, an investigation by the CBC's The Fifth Estate looked into her claims. They found her birth certificate, which said she was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts. It listed her parents as Albert and Winifred Santamaria, who were white.

The Piapot First Nation, however, issued a statement. They said they consider her a member of their family. They believe their traditional adoption holds more meaning than official papers. The acting chief, Ira Lavallee, said that despite the findings, she is still accepted by the community.

Buffy Sainte-Marie has stated that her mother told her she was adopted and Native. She said she does not know who her birth parents are. She also said she has never known if her birth certificate is real.

Honors and Awards

Buffy Sainte-Marie has received many honors and awards for her work.

Honorary Degrees

She has been given 15 honorary doctorates from different universities.

Special Awards

Performance Awards

Other Recognitions

• In 1979, she was featured on a Supersisters trading card.
• In 2021, Canada Post released a stamp with her picture.

Personal Life

In 1964, Buffy Sainte-Marie was adopted by Emile Piapot and Clara Starblanket Piapot. This happened on the Piapot Cree reserve in Canada, following Cree Nation traditions.

She has been married three times. Her first marriage was to Dewain Bugbee, a Hawaiian surfing instructor. They divorced in 1971. She then married Sheldon Wolfchild in 1975, and they have a son named Dakota "Cody" Starblanket Wolfchild. Later, she married Jack Nitzsche, who co-wrote "Up Where We Belong" with her.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is a friend of the Bahá'í faith. She has appeared at their events and supports their ideas of peace and unity. She believes in a universal spiritual faith but does not belong to any specific religion herself.

In 1980, she applied for Canadian citizenship. However, in 2017, she stated that she does not have a Canadian passport and is a US citizen.

Discography

Albums

Collaboration Albums

Compilation Albums

Singles

Soundtrack Appearances

See also

• Music of Canada
• Pretendian