Which is it: Native, Indian, or Indigenous? #nativeamerica

What's the correct thing to call the first residents of what is now the United States of America? Native American? Indian? American Indian? Indigenous? Native? A People's History of Native America host Tai Leclaire discusses.

[Siaexists]

Fun fact: I grew up Indian American (My parents are from India but I was born here) and I used to see American Indian on those forms where they ask you to fill out your ethnicity so for the longest time I thought they made an entire ethnicity for us 😭

[JamesJones-eudo]

Im native alaskan, specifically Eyak. We like to be recognized separately from native americans because we are separated by an entire country.

[AngryAzata]

I live in rural oklahoma about 10 minutes away from a reservation. I've been told by almost everyone I've asked about the situation that their preference is Indian, that's been the legal term forever to refer to the indigenous tribes to the land that is currently the united states, things like Native American are too broad and refer to people from accross the americas. But I've been called racist in the city for saying Indian. I agree that calling individual nations by their names would be a great idea, but in reality there were more than twice the amount of Indian nations than there are current recognized nation states in the world, and it's useful to have a word to group people from similar areas together (such as Europeans, or Asians). As much as I wish there was a one size fits all options, it's not like yall are a hivemind that are gonna collectively land on the same preference. Just gotta do your best with the people you interact with, give everyone respect and reverence for how they'd like to be referred, race gender anything

[dstinnettmusic]

“Asking” is always the best answer to this question in all its forms.

[frostysnoman]

I have a Yakima friend. When I used the term "native", he just said "just say Indian, dude". When I asked why, he said "because it's a reminder about how you all f---d up." 😂 I appreciate him.

[chandlermorris]

Who knew a thousand different cultures would have would have varied opinions.

[westrim]

My personal observation is that those in rural areas and on the rez prefer Indian, and those in more suburban and urban areas prefer native. Part of that, especially here in California, is that there's way more chances for contact and confusion with Indians from the subcontinent over in Asia, leading to native being a more useful differentiator.

[wolfsmith]

I worked with people from many Indian Tribes when I worked at an Indian Casino. Most said either Indian or Native American, or didn't care. I enjoyed learning about their lives and histories.

[PyroMetalNerd]

Where I grew up we had a ton of immigrants from India, so we all just used the term "Native American" to avoid confusion

[reubination]

I was serving an elderly Indian couple (Canadian) recently at my place of work which is a wholesale food company. We struck up a conversation and they wanted help with finding food boxes, utensils etc. for a pow wow they were organizing. I used the term indigenous and he said to me these exact words. “We are Indians. Always have been, always will be. But in the end we are simply people just like you!” He said it with such warmth and love. A gentle tone and light hearted manner. His wife was absolutely one of the kindest, well mannered people I’ve ever encountered. She thanked me countless times for my help and said she would come back because of the service I provided. They were without a doubt the most unified or in sync couples I’ve ever met. I’m in my early 50’s. I will never forget my interaction with them. I would guess them to have been in their late 70’s.

[lyamainu]

My grandpa HATED the term “Native American”. He corrected anyone who called him that. “I’m an Indian. They don’t get to call us that for three hundred years and then suddenly change it on us”. 😆

[stephanwatson]

I'm mixed race Cherokee, I would prefer Cherokee or Native American; because no one is going to be able to guess which tribe someone is from, without asking

[benrutgers]

I had a boss that called them "Braves". It was some of the most respectful racism I have seen

[GottlikeDamon]

I am mestiza from Colombia, I always put "white, native American, and Hispanic" in the census so there is consistency that I am from a group that was here previous to European colonization. My parents were worried because they thought it only included indigenous tribes from U.S or Canada, but last time I did it thankfully it clarified that it also included tribes from all over the continent 😊.

[KosMik_Skul]

Happy November Nation Native American History Month! I am learning as much as I can this month and getting in touch with this part of our nation's zeitgeist. there are many things I love about indigenous tribes's culture and I feel resonate strongly with my own heart & spirit. I have much to learn and will do my part to share what I learn with as many people as I can. I do not identify much with race or ethnicity, I was abused & abandoned by my white conservative fundamental christian family so I consider myself a spiritual orphan and child of the world, but most importantly humanity. my greatest dream is that one day we will all be able to unite as one & connected with all life, and that everyone will be able to live free, to heal, to grow, to create & explore together.

[aquaintsound]

Community identity labels have always been complex. I love how Indigenous has become more common in recent years because different people in my family had opposite opinions about native vs Indian when i was growing up.
I also love indigenous as a term to create solidarity with other Indigenous people around the world. The United Nations collaborated through a community definition of indigenous that honors the ways that the term is simultaneously about groups and individuals.

[smllinaress]

Random, kind of unrelated fact: most "Hispanics" are part Native. Culturally, not much remains; though important traces of indigenous cultures are still present in the vocabulary, cuisine and traditional music of each Spanish-American country. Genetically, the Native admixture is quite important. It's not uncommon for it to surpass 50%.

[PradhanmantriBruhh]

As 🇮🇳, i wonder whether there are Native & Indian mixed. That person will be the true indian😂

[nothanks]

Thank you for including other Indigenous peoples of the Americas

[Cynthia.B]

Thanks for the clarification! And I love your sense of humor at the end. 🤣