Native American Or Indigenous?
If you are asking a person of Indigenous descent how they prefer to be addressed, you should respect their choice. However, there is a bit of confusion on the terminology itself.
English terms like “Native American” or “Indian” are broad and lump hundreds of tribes into one large group. These generalizations can lead to stereotypes and misunderstanding.
What is the difference?
While the term Native American is widely accepted and used, some individuals and tribes prefer other terms. It is important to ask an individual what they prefer and not to assume what their preferred wording is.
The term indigenous typically refers to groups of people who inhabited a specific land or region before the arrival of Europeans. However, this term is also broad enough to encompass all the various tribes that inhabit the United States and Canada.
For example, some people who live in Alaska may consider themselves to be part of the larger Indigenous community even though they have not yet achieved federal recognition as a Native American tribe. This is because they have a strong cultural identity as being Alaskan and see themselves as a part of the Indigenous community in general.
Additionally, the Inuit and Yupik Peoples in the Arctic often use the term First Nations or Aboriginal to identify themselves. However, the majority of Alaska Native tribes have chosen to use the term American Indian because it is more widely understood in the United States.
Who is a native American?
A person can be considered Indigenous to a place when their ancestors lived there since time immemorial – or at least since humans started keeping written historical records. People are also considered Indigenous if they are members of a tribe that is federally recognized, or that has a political relationship with the United States government.
Tribal nations are sovereign governments with their own laws and rules for membership. They determine the responsibilities and duties of their citizens and set their priorities for the future. They have a unique history that shapes their culture, language, spiritual beliefs and way of life.
There are thousands of Indigenous tribes across the United States and Canada, from the frozen Arctic in northern Canada and Alaska to the plains, mountains and rain forests of Latin America. The experiences of these communities are as diverse as their landscapes. But they are all connected by a common identity and history that is rooted in their land and natural resources.
Who is an indigenous person?
Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups with collective ancestral ties to the land where they live, occupy or have been displaced from. This land and natural resources are vital to their identities, cultures, livelihoods and physical well-being.
There are more than 5,000 Indigenous communities around the world with different languages, traditions and customs. They share common experiences of eviction from their ancestral homelands, discrimination and physical attacks. They have worked for years to gain recognition of their unique identities, ways of life and right to traditional lands, territories and natural resources.
In North America, Indigenous Peoples are also referred to as Indian, Non-status, First Nations, Metis and Inuit. However, these communities prefer the term Indigenous Peoples. Avoid using the word Indian when speaking to individuals, as it can be seen as derogatory and outdated.
Who is an indigenous person in Mexico?
In Mexico, the term indigenous refers to groups with collective ancestral ties to the land they inhabit or from which they were displaced. These peoples are distinct in their cultures, livelihoods and physical well-being from the majority population of the country.
The country has a relatively large indigenous population. However, they often experience social exclusion. This is particularly true in rural areas. In recent years, indigenous activists have been targeted and killed for defending their communities’ rights to land. This includes the Huichol brothers, Miguel and Agostin Vazquez Torres, who were killed in 2017 for defending their community’s mountainous lands from cattle ranchers.
In Mexico, the government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has approved legislation to guarantee indigenous peoples a path towards social inclusion. It will be interesting to see how this new policy plays out. For now, it’s a positive step. However, the vast majority of indigenous Mexicans live in urban areas. Consequently, it’s difficult to know who represents them in the national congress.