Native Americans (Ruidoso, Navajo, Capitan: movies, school, college)

[jaada]

well to the op, I am Native American but we have always called ourselves Native or NDN. Never called myself American Indian except when filling out papers that say check what race you are. oh yeah and many of us live off the rez.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Dobelover

By your logic I am native american as well, born and raised here. Most people refer to "American Indians" as Native Americans, at least the so called "politically correct" do. Why do I have this funny feeling that if I wrote "American Indian" instead, I would have been picked on as well? Why is everyone so petty?

What's funny is that I know many Indians who call themselves Indians. Or they call themselves by their tribe name - such as Mescalero Apache.

If I was an Indian, I'd go by my tribe name because they all had their own distinct cultures and languages, a Chippewa Indian is as different from a Mescalero Apache as different ethnic groups in Europe are different.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Dobelover

Do most Native Americans in NM live amongst the Hispanic and Anglo population or on reservations? I read that there is some tension between Natives and other groups is this only among certain tribes or in certain regions? Someone commented that it was difficult teaching on a reservation because of the racism coming from students and the hopelessness of life on the reservations. Do you feel its better for Native Americans to live off of these reservations? Are some reservations better than others? I am just really ignorant about this subject.

Back to your question, I don't think there's really much ethnic tension but on the reservations, people tend to keep to themselves, someone who goes to work on the reservation has to be independent and enjoy spending time alone because they may not find themselves invited to "family" events since they aren't part of that group. I know people who worked on the reservations in areas like health care and they said the Indians are friendly enough but don't invite them to social events.

If you hear of violence, it's almost within - not across ethnicity.

In my opinion it's better to not hang on to our separate ethnicities, it's not where we're from but where we're going as a people, we are the American people. You can't go back and change history so we have to deal with what is today and what the future will be.

[Dobelover]

Originally Posted by malamute

Back to your question, I don't think there's really much ethnic tension but on the reservations, people tend to keep to themselves, someone who goes to work on the reservation has to be independent and enjoy spending time alone because they may not find themselves invited to "family" events since they aren't part of that group. I know people who worked on the reservations in areas like health care and they said the Indians are friendly enough but don't invite them to social events.

If you hear of violence, it's almost within - not across ethnicity.

In my opinion it's better to not hang on to our separate ethnicities, it's not where we're from but where we're going as a people, we are the American people. You can't go back and change history so we have to deal with what is today and what the future will be.

Very well said! I agree with you on this. I think its fine to hang on to cultural traditions and know your family history or preserve your culture, as long as it does not give you a chip on your shoulder. Pride is dangrous that way.

[ABQConvict]

Most Native Americans I know prefer to be called 'Indians'


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[JDTH]

If you call my wife that she will take you DOWN!!!

[catman]

jaada: I like that expression 'NDN'.

If it were not so clumsy, I would suggest the word 'indigenous'. There used to be a store in Denton, TX called "First Peoples Trading Company'. That has a nice ring to it.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by loborick

I know many Native Americans, and that is the term most of them prefer. They were native to the Americans a long time before anglos or anyone else came.

I think until recently the term Native Americans was considered P.C. not it is American Indian, but tomorrow it might be something else. I guess we are living in a society that changes the P.C> terms for everything on a weekly basis. Sorry if I am sounding a bit cynical, but I think we are carrying this a little too far.

Nita

[songinthewind7]

If you think about it, we are all Native Americans.

[ABQConvict]

Takes all kinds I guess.


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