Native American Pt 2 - Kansas City,MO

Well, everyone has different opinions! The people in Alaska I worked with prefer to be 1. called Inupiaq, Yupik, or Athabaskan first...but they also like being called Native Alaskans. Only the Ahtabaskans are "indians" while the other two are Inuit people. The Inupiaq people I worked with all called themselves Eskimos even though in other areas this is really considered derogatory by other Inuit people and they hate the term Eskimo! So....every place and every village/pueblo/people are different is what I have learned.

In Canada the aboriginal people who are not Inuit or Metis are correctly referred to as First Nations. Indian, although still a legal term, is considered a derogatory term by many First Nations people. The term Native is widely used, but can also refer to Inuit and Metis.

I took my kids to a Pow Wow when they were younger. My son said loud enough for many to hear "I thought you said there would be lots of Indians here. None of these people look like they are from India." I was totally embarrassed.

My preference doesn't matter -- one should be called whatever one wants, regardless of others' preferences....

But when there were plans being made for a museum about this continent's native tribes, they were utterly and completely involved in its creation, content, themes, architecture....

It's in Washington, D.C., and the name on it is: The National Museum of the American Indian.

I was surprised, thinking as many do that the more "PC" term is "native American" but the museum name decided it for me: If the many, many tribes who all had parts in creating the museum and running it (to this day) chose the term "American Indian" then it's more than good enough for me....

Of course if one knows someone's specific tribe it is vastly preferable to use that. But the museum uses the term American Indian in its title. By the way, with your interests, you really should visit there!

They're all the same thing. Really....

Their ancestor's lived on this continent before the English, Spanish, and any other country sent explorers here whether they lived on the west coast of the land that eventually came to be known as Alaska or the east coast that became known at Maine. They all lived on those lands for centuries.

So being offended or not wanting to be called this term or that term is rather antiquated to me. They're all Americans at this point no matter what color their skin is. They do have the benefit of having that connection though don't they. That is special to me. My few native american friends invite us to all the pow wow events and any other thing they think we'd enjoy.

We're all one nation and all face the same issues as parents. Raising our children with enough food to eat, shelter, education, respect, and becoming the best adult they can.

If we are cut we all bleed the same color blood.

If you think about it the term 'Native American' is a mis-nomer. Homo Sapiens are not 'native' to North, South, or Central America. We are all immigrants ---- they just got here first.

They are more like First Immigrants.......

To me as you said it doesn't matter and long as we respect each other.

I prefer to call people from India Indian.

It is really going to come down to the individual. I have had numerous students, colleagues, acquaintances and friends who are American Indian. It all depends on the person and I think it is a little bit generational too. I think everyone of them has preferred being referred to by their tribe. However some of them have preferred Native American, some American Indian, some First Americans, some just Indian. Some couldn't care less as long as it was a respectful term. The school I taught at was St. Joseph's Indian School. Many of the reservation schools are also referred to as Indian schools. One of my friends always referred to herself as Lakota, but I also heard her use the terms Native American and American Indian interchangeably. I guess I tend towards using Native American because that is what the majority of people I know use.

It isn't really any different than African Americans that I know. Some prefer African America. Some prefer Black American (because they were born here and not in Africa). Some prefer Black.

I prefer not to be called white or caucasian. But I'm not European American either. I prefer just American.

My husband does not particularly like to be referred to as Asian American, Cambodian, or any other combination. He prefers American. But, I know others from Cambodia who prefer Cambodian American.

I only refer to my kids as Asian American because public schools have to "label" kids ethnicity for federal reasons.