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America stretches across two continents, so not really. Ohhh! Are you referring to the United States of America? Cause that's not America.
You didn't read what I wrote. While technically, it could apply to anyone native to the western hemisphere, in this context, it clearly refers to peoples within the US border. If you can find references to indigenous people outside the US, referring to themselves as "Native American", I'm all ears.
My wife refers to herself as Indian or American Indian to differentiate from those of present day India. To a lesser degree she uses the term Ojibwe or lesser yet, Anishinaabe. More common locally, she refers to herself as a Leech Laker, to differentiate herself from those of other reservations in the area. The term "Native American" is a relatively recent term (at least in our lifetimes).
And, if I may be so bold, "Anishinabe" is the original term your wife's family and ancestors have used to describe/define themselves. When talking among themselves (including proven friends), they frequently shorten this to "Shinnob".... right?
Yes, many-many years ago I had a very close (female) Anishinabe friend. Time, and the vagaries of the Internet, have caused us to lose contact. Though we never met face-to-face (and if we were to do so today I would not be able to recognize her), she helped me to understand many different things.
And, if I may be so bold, "Anishinabe" is the original term your wife's family and ancestors have used to describe/define themselves. When talking among themselves (including proven friends), they frequently shorten this to "Shinnob".... right?
Yes, many-many years ago I had a very close (female) Anishinabe friend. Time, and the vagaries of the Internet, have caused us to lose contact. Though we never met face-to-face (and if we were to do so today I would not be able to recognize her), she helped me to understand many different things.
Regards,
-- Nighteyes (Mississippi Choctaw)
I don't remember her ever using this term in the 26 years we've been together. She claims she's said it, I just don't listen - I don't know. She says it's kind of derogatory, but in a light hearted way, like you're kidding around with friends, if that makes any sense.
With all due respect, unless you're one of us, its not your call. Insisting otherwise would be an attempt to impose your personal feelings/opinions/ preferences on an entire people. We're sort of used to that, but these days we're much less willing to let you get away with it.
It is important to recognize that we ourselves are divided over the appropriate term. Personally, I prefer to be addressed as "American Indian". My Cherokee/Shawnee friend in Nashville will tell you in a heartbeat that he prefers to be addressed as "Native American." An Ojibwe friend in Canada prefers that she be addressed as "Original American."
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Now, back to the original question. East Indians living anywhere in the world should be able to proudly call themselves "Indians" because that's who and what they are. If necessary to avoid confusion in specific circumstances, adding the words "East" or "Eastern" may be desirable. Similarly, the original populations of the Americas should be able to proudly call ourselves "American Indians" if we wish because, thanks to Christopher Columbus' navigational prowess, that's who/what we've been since 1492.
Speaking only for myself, continuing this perennial debate is just about as useful as trying to stir up a controversy over the terms "parkway" and "driveway." After all, as the comedian Gallagher so often pointed out, we DRIVE on a parkway and we PARK on a driveway.
-- Nighteyes (Mississippi Choctaw)
Yes, that's an old joke, but there's a reason for those words, now isn't there. A parkway was originally a drive through park land, and parkways nowadays are called that because they generally are bordered with lots of trees and natural areas. A driveway was called a driveway because you drove the horse and carriage up to the house, dropped off the residents, and continued driving through back to the carriage house/stables.
Just as indigenous people on this continent were called Indians because the first Europeans thought they had made it to India. They just didn't know about this bit of land that was in between...
I don't think anyone has mentioned that America wasn't named America when the indigenous people first came to dwell on this continent! That is one of the reasons that it is troublesome to think of them as American Indians. Though, if we think of the world as having two kinds of Indians, using "American" to distinguish the ones who were already here is understandable. I find myself using the phrase "Indians from India" a lot.
I'm curious if the o.p. was making a joke when he (or she) said the people from India took away the "American Indians' " name.
The tribes have their own names, the whites just clump them as one group (what's left of them anyways), as Native Americans. I'm Native, and that is how I call it. Indian is a term used for people from India. Natives that call each other Indians are just stuck in the past when Columbus thought he had sailed to India. Better yet, use your tribal name, it is why you have a tribal ID my native friends.
The tribes have their own names, the whites just clump them as one group (what's left of them anyways), as Native Americans. I'm Native, and that is how I call it. Indian is a term used for people from India. Natives that call each other Indians are just stuck in the past when Columbus thought he had sailed to India. Better yet, use your tribal name, it is why you have a tribal ID my native friends.
Lol, as you just clumped "the whites" as one group? ; )
I guess Mighty Queen needs to start a thread to discuss what white people want to be called.
I would prefer to call the original people on this continent by their tribal names, when referring to them as a group of course.
Nah, I really don't need to do that. Of course the descendants of the indigenous people identify by their tribal names. I don't call them Native Americans. We white people are no more exactly all the same in what we think and do than are anyone else.
I call myself Native, as one group. If I meet other Natives we identify by tribe.
Got it, thanks. I've read other Native people's posts wherein they don't care for that term, but use Indian or NDN instead.
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