First Nation, Native Americans, Indians etc - which terms do you find acceptable?

[Rumpel]

First Nation, Native Americans, Indians etc - which terms do you find acceptable?

 

[Sagittarius83]

Native American or Aboriginal American are the most accurate terms.

 

[Rumpel]

"Indians" may be problematic in that way that it may refer to both India and North America
In German we make a clear distinction:

for India >>> Inder, indisch
for North America >>> Indianer, indianisch

 

[Rumpel]

Native American or Aboriginal American are the most accurate terms.

Doesn't "Aboriginal" let people think of Australia first?

 

[Fabiusbile]

First Nation, Native Americans, Indians etc - which terms do you find acceptable?

As an option-people.
What stuck to the one who and how to call. If a person needs to self-identify himself, he will tell you about it.
Personally, I believe that it is important for an adequate person to be judged on his personal qualities, his decency, and not on what kind of skin he has, origin, etc.
People are not dogs, it's their breed that matters.

 

[MamboDervish]

First Nation, Native Americans, Indians etc - which terms do you find acceptable?

I find the first three on the list fine - also Inuit, Aleut, and any other of dozens of more specific tribal names, if they're appropriate.

 

[Sagittarius83]

Doesn't "Aboriginal" let people think of Australia first?

Aboriginal just means the first known people in a region.
So it should be Aboriginal Australian or Aboriginal American. I prefer that term slightly over Native American.

 

[Rumpel]

As an option-people.

We are all people.

What do you say then if you want to refer to the French, the English, the Greek, the Chinese, etc etc?
Always people only and nothing else?
So as to appear "politically correct" and "morally superior"?
Whatever it may be - it is very impractical.

 

[Rumpel]

Aboriginal just means the first known people in a region.

I know of course.
But for some reason this term seems to refer to Australia mostly.

 

[Rumpel]

So far 3 out of 3 opted for: Native American

 

[Callen]

I would suggest we ask them what they find acceptable to be called rather than what we find acceptable. I believe the preference here is First Nations. Inuit is a totally different group inhabiting the Arctic regions of Nunavut, Quebec, Labrador and the North West Territories. . We have First Nations and Inuit.

 

[Rumpel]

I would suggest we ask them what they find acceptable to be called rather than what we find acceptable.

That is an age-old issue.
Dealing with exonyms and endonyms.

 

[calamity]

First Nation, Native Americans, Indians etc - which terms do you find acceptable?

I always prefer technically accurate terms. So, my choice is "the indigenous."

 

[Rumpel]

I always prefer technically accurate terms. So, my choice is "the indigenous."

But there are about 100000000000000000000000000 different sorts of indigenous people all over the world.
What do you say if you want to refer especially one of them?

 

[calamity]

But there are about 100000000000000000000000000 different sorts of indigenous people all over the world.
What do you say if you want to refer especially one of them?

I call him "Chief."

 

[Rumpel]

@calamity

You know that you are evading my question.

 

[Rumpel]

@ First Nation

And what should be said outside of Canada?

Because what might be the first nation in Canada, might not be the first nation for the rest of the world.

 

[americanwoman]

First Nation, Native Americans, Indians etc - which terms do you find acceptable?

The Natives I know prefer the term "Native" so that's what I use.

 

[ClaraD]

Native American Indian is what you should be saying if talking about the whole of the nations...or refer to the tribe you are talking about...Cherokee, Choctaw, Ozarka, etc..

 

[Rumpel]

Native American Indian is what you should be saying

So the addition auf the term "Indian" is still possible and allowed?
Good to know!

 

[Cardinal]

You're not going to get in any trouble if you call them "Native American," though they prefer to be called by their tribal name if it can be helped.

Though less preferred than Native American, you're not going to get into any trouble if you say "American Indian" either. So long as you're not being blatantly offensive or exploitative, this isn't exactly the hot button issue for Natives as it is for everybody else.

Full disclosure: this doesn't come from personal experience but from extensive reading from multiple sources, and they're all consistent and point to the above statements.

 

[HIP56948]

Native Americans. More than a few people I've talked to, here in the South, don't care for that description. I suspect their opposition to that term recalls the fact that in essence, the Native Americans were here long before the white-man was here and therefore drives home the thought that the white man was/is just like the people who, in this day and age, are crossing over the border and "Changing our way of life". I find it amusing that the Southerners get pissed off about the Latinos but seem to think that it was Right and Just to take the Native American's land. Sort of like ...Calling the kettle black thing.

 

[ClaraD]

So the addition auf the term "Indian" is still possible and allowed?
Good to know!

yes, but it is absolutely preferred that you refer to the specific tribe you are speaking about and just Indian will get you corrected...because we aren't from India...it is Native American Indian or Indigenous peoples...my husband prefers you call him Mayan. I prefer you call me Choctaw if you are referring to my tribal origins...though I am also of Hispanic origin and Scandinavian. I am proud of my Native roots though including the Choctaw and Yucatec as well as my Scandinavian roots...although they aren't near as obvious...it did give me hazel colored eyes...

 

[MSgt]

Shouldn't this matter to only those who actually are Indian, Native American, etc.? Maybe ask them.

On the academic scene, Native American is the appropriate term. Historians break down as needed in order to specify tribe.

Indians are from India. It's a matter of being geographically accurate.

 

[ClaraD]

You're not going to get in any trouble if you call them "Native American," though they prefer to be called by their tribal name if it can be helped.

Though less preferred than Native American, you're actually not going to get into any trouble if you say "American Indian" either. So long as you're not being blatantly offensive or exploitative, this isn't exactly the hot button issue for Natives as it is for everybody else.

Full disclosure: this doesn't come from personal experience but from extensive reading from multiple sources, and they're all consistent and point to the above statements.

you are actually right...some might be offended...but more so if you just say Indian...I would correct you and say, I am not from India...it is Native American Indian or Choctaw if you prefer...