If you are a Native American would you rather be called an "indian" or a "Native" and Why?

Answer 1

Well I an A Native American. I like to be called a Native. Because The names, red skin, savage, Indian, come from the British who Came to our land and started to kill my ancestors. My ancestors were protecting there land and they were taken back as slaves. That I why I would rather Be called A "NATIVE AMERICAN".

Answer 2

Indian was the first term the colonizers used to refer to Native people. Later the government realized this term was culturally inappropriate and so changed the term to Native American. You must consider that neither of these terms were chosen by Native people. They were chosen by the government. Many non-Natives have a problem with these terms and to them I suggest talking to the government and asking them to allow Natives to choose their own terminology.

I am a Native woman. Many Natives I know including myself prefer terms such as: Indigenous, Native, Tribal, or the individuals specific tribal name (such as Cherokee or Apache). The term Indian has long been considered inappropriate and not politically correct. It is mostly used within Native communities. Many Natives I know don't appreciate this term. Native American is better than Indian but still not the best choice.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Neither - I rather be called Lakota.

Native American is a politically correct term, and my family was Lakota before the land was called America. I think everyone who was born in America is native to the country. Since "native" is commonly used amongst "natives", I go along with it. American Indian is carrying on the ignorance of Christopher Columbus, but I like this term more than Native American because it distinguishes the indigenous people from US born citizens.

I love the simplicity of using my tribe's name, that way I can avoid clarifying that I am not from India or exclude American citizens that were born in the U.S. I am also able to distinguish myself from all other tribes, since my culture is not generic one "native".

Answer 4

"Indian" in reference to Native Americans is a very ignorant term coined by Columbus because he believed that America was India and the Eastern side of the world. I doubt that would be something Native Americans prefer to be called.

Answer 5

I am S'Klallam/Chippewa-Cree.

"Native American" and "Indian" are both misnomers.

I think that the fact that the government stuck us all into one group is wrong. I love my fellow indigenous peoples...but there are so many different tribes, and it is an honor to be a part of any tribe...to be able to say "I am S'Klallam/Chippewa-Cree" without having to explain what it means would be ideal...but of course the government would rather stuff us all into one single category...and with a name that is a total oxymoron!!! ..."Native American"...

Native: being the place or environment in which a person was born or a thing came into being: one's native land.

America: The soil that was invaded by europeans, who pillaged and raped her for all she is worth, then named her "America" after some dude named "Amerigo Vespucci"!!!

My people are Native to this land, but were native to it BEFORE it was "named" and claimed as "America"...so it does not make sense to me.

Although, I do refer to myself as "Native" or "Indigenous" if i do not wish to go into explanation of pronunciation, location, population...of my primary tribes...

Anyway...have a nice day!

Answer 6

Neither, but if we only get two choices, then Native is better. Indians are from India. Colum-bus-head thought he landed in the west Indies, and called the people Indians.

If anyone had bothered to distinguish between the different peoples here before annihilating as many as possible, they would have learned to call us by our own names, instead of lumping us all into one category. The Navajo and the Hopi have very different cultures, but, oh well, they're all just natives, I guess.

The original name for my people was Aniyunwiya, but the Creek called us Cherokee, meaning "people of another language".

Answer 7

Indian was the first term the colonizers used to refer to Native people. Later the government realized this term was culturally inappropriate and so changed the term to Native American. You must consider that neither of these terms were chosen by Native people. They were chosen by the government. Many non-Natives have a problem with these terms and to them I suggest talking to the government and asking them to allow Natives to choose their own terminology.

Answer 8

I, personally, would rather be identified as a tribal member.

I liked the answer about name then tribe....

But, above all....I think that this all is a lableing system. Bickering about what to "Call" the "Native Americans" just confuses the identity issues. Lakota are VERY different from Cherokee, from Arikara, from Kiowa, From Crow, From Omaha, from Tlingit, from Dine, from Shoshone, from Arapaho, from Comanche, from Iraquois, from Seneca.........They are ALL PEOPLE. They have ALL LOST in this take over by the invading Euro Americans. They ALL have descendants here NOW, who struggle to maintain cultural identity and purpose. Struggling to remember the ceremonies, languages and customs that have been stripped from them. Bickering about what to call them is just confusing the VERY IMPORTANT issues that face them today.

Shannon county in South Dakota is and has been (for as long as I can remember) the poorest county in the nation. It has a homeless rate of ZERO. fluctuates between 65 and 90 % UNEMPLOYMENT. Other Nations have similar issues. I just don't have all the stats to hand.

So. Call them whatever it is that the PERSON that you are speaking with finds respectful. Speak to them as PEOPLE from unique and special backgrounds and do NOT lump them all together. Rememer, we are all human.

Personally, I like Canada's "First Nations". But - that's just a personal opinion, and it, too, confuses the REAL issues.

Answer 9

nicely it rather relies upon on which of the interior of sight individuals. each and every had a variety of tribal government, letting the two the Chieftains or a council of Elders rule over the tribe. all of them lived in small to great tribes. no longer all have been somewhat Nomadic or so which you would be able to desire to speak. And the explanation some people call them indians is with the help of the fact while the Europeans got here they theory they arrived in India, so they observed as the peoples there Indian.

Answer 10

the only reason they were called indians was because columbus's dumb behind thought he had landed in india...They are native americans because america is their native land...they were here first.