American Indian or Native American?

Question

Are the terms American Indian and Native American essentially synonyms, in the same way that the terms black and African American are often used interchangeably? ......... I ask this because when I meet other American Indian People we usually identify ourselves by our names and what nation/nations we are from.....I feel more comfortable and it decribes my heritage rather than putting me in a whole bunch of people......I noticed at work a friend of mine calls himself black american rather than African American ...he said because he was not born in Africa......he was born here his parents and his grandparents...ect...what are your thoughts?

I call myself what I am Lakota and Eastern Cherokee....when I meet other American Indians (not from india) we will say which nation we belong to....could be hopi, cheyenne,navajo..ect....that is how most of the American Indian ID themselves.....however I have a hard time with American Indian because.....you now have Asian Indians from India who come to america being called American Indian.......We are from two different continant.s....My people have been here for thousands of years......we did not just arrive.....We have been here forever.........I can also agree was christopher columbus who thought he landed in india but instead was in the america's....We have over 500 nations.....and we all have different names, cultures, spiritual beliefs,....so we are different......I am proud of who I am A lakota/cherokee woman

Answer 1

I'm guessin you forgot the whole columbus story. Read his log and his diary. He uses the term "los gentes en dios" (the people of god) because he thought he was in eden. He never made it to mainland america. and he wasn't on the way to INDIA, it didn't exist then, it was called "HINDUSTAN" or "KHALISTAN" back then. Not india as modern myth has it.
I've explained in other post how people like myself see natives vs INDIAN.

Answer 2

Well I usually refer to them as Native American because they are not Indian. Indian refers to someone who is from India. I was told that this is the correct term to call them. I also agree about the Black American. I am American a Black American of African ancestry. So Black American would be more fitting.

Answer 3

they are the same, depending on who you ask.

An Indian from India is still Indian-it is a nationality, but it does not make him an american indian.

blacks are originally from africa, but they can call themselves african american if they like, or black american--I dont see the dif!

Aboriginies are natives, but austrailian natives. Would they be called native aborigini americans? (yow!)

native americans are decendants from the people who were here long before the conquistadors or the italians OR the vikings. They are the only TRUE american indians........ however you must realize that this term comes from Europe and is not accepted by native americans, nor should it. They like to be called native americans, and so they should!

Answer 4

No because American Indians are people with a heritage from India. Indians are from India and Native Americans are American.

Answer 5

usually they are called native american or red indians cuz of the whole confusing history of columbus. in a way i agree with your friend, blacks dont act like africans in anyways so they should not be called african americans but then again we wont call indians from india brown just cuz their 3 generations been here.

Answer 6

I agree with Chelsie T

I hate it when people call Native Americans "Indian"
THEY AREN'T Indian, That's the name a white man gave them. They are native American.

Answer 7

Native American or of THE PEOPLE for almost every different tribe had a name they called themselves referring to being the TRUE PEOPLE.

Answer 8

Im am a 16th indian but because it was not an american tribe they dont consider me Indian. Hmm

Answer 9

What people want to be addressed as is what is proper IMO...

Personally people should skip the race titles and call people by their own names (or general Mr/Sir/Ms if name unknown) until if/when further info is given.

Answer 10

its the same thing really they were called natives by the whites who took their way of life from them but they also were the true AMERICANS of our country. the rest of us all came over as immigrants