I am a Navajo. What do u think I should be classified as? if not, Indian, or Native American?

Question

I am asking this question out of curiosity since I have problems saying that I am Indian, which I am not, since I'm not from India. I feel comfortable saying I am Native American; however, there seems to be alot of people out there thinking otherwise.

Answer 1

You can say whatever you like hun. Please, don't change for these people. Life is too short to fuss over a title. Just laugh hysterically in their face and walk away, and they'll know then that you do not give a damn.

Answer 2

Agreeing with most. Whatever you're most comfortable with.

I do think you answered your own question with the first four words you posted "I am a Navajo". If you're filling out some government form, then whatever fits best. If you're introducing yourself, then whichever term best describes how you feel about yourself. If nothing else, you probably have more claim over the word American than most of us whose ancestors came along in the past few centuries.

I think using a group term like "Indian" or "Native American" is way too generic. It's like calling everybody from Africa "African" or everybody from Europe "Europeans". These generic terms ignore the individual cultures found through the various regions. There's a big difference between Nambia and Egypt in culture, traditions, etc. The same for "Native Americans", "Indians", "Indigenous Americans". Cultures, traditions, language, etc. are different between the tribes/nations even in the same general region (Navajo, Hopi, Cheyenne).

Use the term you feel most comfortable with.

Answer 3

If people ask, tell them what you want to be called. I personally just wrinkle my nose and say "what do YOU think I am?" Then I get to laugh at their guesses. (Apparently I most closely resemble a half-Italian half-something else, or I'm Latina, or half-Filipino or an Indian American or a quarter-Korean or something else entirely!) When they finally get around to American Indian I've got them laughing with me!

Then I tell them the zinger - I'm a real live Indian Princess! Bet they didn't know those existed!

Yes indeed, I placed 2rd in a beauty pagent when I was in the 6th grade! My title was Princess! (And my BFF STILL reminds me of it to this day!)

Added Later: Oh! I was just reading a book on AIM and came across something that might interest you. The US Government came up with the name "Native American" in the 1930's. We weren't consulted, they just changed the name on their reports and started calling us "Native Americans". I mean, it's par for the course, right? But maybe that's why so many American Indians resist being called "Native American".

Answer 4

Ya'at'eeh

I am part Navajo also,I usually classify myself as Native American as I am not from India and do not qualify for Indian status.Just say that you are American and leave it at that.

Answer 5

I'm in Indigenous Nations Studies in college, and literally every other student in my department is Native! It's an issue we discuss a lot. Most people don't like Indian for obvious reasons, and don't like Native American either, since for them this was never America. That's the colonizer's name. So most people prefer simply "Native," or Indigenous People (always capitalized). In Canada they refer to themselves as "First Nations People." Of course, you could always simply say Navajo or Dine.

Answer 6

Ya'a'teh...

I find your question interesting. You are Dine' (navajo), and you are asking people on the internet how to introduce yourself? With all due respect, why are you not asking your elders, the traditional way for introducing yourself?

When you go to sings, powwows, social gatherings in the native community or even the non native community... state your name first, what clans you are born into, and then Dine'.

Meanwhile, let "people think otherwise." You owe no one an explaination of who you are.


Ahee'he


-Yvwi Tisqua, Tsalagi

Answer 7

American indian

Answer 8

whichever your preference.

If Native American works, good. It is a virtually universally undersyood term, probably less confusing than Indian these days.

True, some people say that anyone born here is a "native American," but they're just wearing their ignorance on their sleeves. They're the same people claiming not to be racist but complaining they can't use the N-word. No one takes them seriously.

Answer 9

Could stick to saying Navajo.

Answer 10

Indians are from India.

If you are Navajo, then you are Native American. Any way you slice it, you are American. Whatever you choose to call yourself is up to you. Start with your name and go from there.

If other, non-Native American, people have a problem with what you should call yourself, tell them to kiss your @ss. Or tell them to kiss my @ss. Or to kiss their own @sses if they still don't get it. You know who and what you are. Don't let other people label you.

Answer 11

look at it. you are born here, you are a Navajo. there for there is indian blood running through you. you are indian full or mixed blood line and you are native american. people from india are indians,but european indians.