The general idea is that both are labels applied to them by colonizers and most people don’t mean either offensively. The best way to refer to them is generally with their tribal name if you know it.
A lot of authors, for example, specifically refer to themselves as such if you have interest in indigenous literature (I really liked Green Grass, Running Water if you want a recommendation)
Of course, everyone is different so you can always just ask.
I have heard different people from that group of humans say they prefer one or the other for different reasons. (A friend of mine once said, “I go with Indian because it doesn’t matter since either name is just one white people gave us.”)
I tend to go with ‘indigenous Americans’ because ‘indigenous’ is a word used for such peoples all over the planet and generally is difficult to argue against as an inoffensive and descriptive term.
This is pretty off topic but I’ve been wondering: how far back in the past do you stop before considering people indigenous? For example, my family immigrated to America from Europe about 200 years ago. Does that mean I’m native to europe? Indians are believed to have come from Russia through Alaska thousands of years ago. Does that mean they’re indigenous to Russia? If you go back far enough, we’re all from Africa.
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I have no idea, but I expect it’s better than “Indians”.
The general idea is that both are labels applied to them by colonizers and most people don’t mean either offensively. The best way to refer to them is generally with their tribal name if you know it.
A lot of authors, for example, specifically refer to themselves as such if you have interest in indigenous literature (I really liked Green Grass, Running Water if you want a recommendation)
Of course, everyone is different so you can always just ask.
Definitely agree on the tribal names, however in this case it seems like they want to apply it to the entire population regardless of tribe.
Canada would call them “First Nations” but I don’t know if there is an American equivalent.
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I’m just naturally assuming Trump quoting language from the 1800s is going to be offensive to somebody…
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a stopped clock might be right twice a day but a broken clock might never be right depending on how broken it is.
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how broken is the clock though?
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I have heard different people from that group of humans say they prefer one or the other for different reasons. (A friend of mine once said, “I go with Indian because it doesn’t matter since either name is just one white people gave us.”)
I tend to go with ‘indigenous Americans’ because ‘indigenous’ is a word used for such peoples all over the planet and generally is difficult to argue against as an inoffensive and descriptive term.
This is pretty off topic but I’ve been wondering: how far back in the past do you stop before considering people indigenous? For example, my family immigrated to America from Europe about 200 years ago. Does that mean I’m native to europe? Indians are believed to have come from Russia through Alaska thousands of years ago. Does that mean they’re indigenous to Russia? If you go back far enough, we’re all from Africa.
“Indigenous” generally means “pre-colonial.” As in they didn’t forcibly take over the land from someone else as far as we know.
That’s a good way to define it, thanks.