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.
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.