Indians why called

The massive population jump in those who self identified as AIAN in the Census is likely the result of multiple factors, including an overall increase in families identifying as multiracial. Not least because it's confusing: while Merriam Webster still secondarily defines it as shorthand for American Indian, the term Indian is more commonly used to describe the people, food, and customs of India, the South Asian country.

While the term "American Indian" has historically been used by both Native-run organizations and the U. Some Natives have also come to use the term "Indian Country" to describe the tribal Nations in collective; the NCAI notes that the term "Indian country," lowercase c, also appears in U. Code and is a legal term that's been used in Supreme Court opinions. Again, while Native people can choose to use it at their own discretion, "it's one of those things where we're allowed to refer to ourselves in ways others aren't," Young says.

Ultimately, if you're unclear on what an Indigenous person prefers to be called, the quickest way to know is to ask them. Your Best Life. Type keyword s to search.

Related Story. Related Stories. As highly educated people who exist in spaces of extreme social and political power, we have a responsibility to seek more accurate and respectful ways of defining our communities.

I ask: Why not us, too? This story about tribal students was produced was produced by The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for our newsletter. Meghanlata Gupta , an undergraduate at Yale University, is the founder of Indigenizing the News, a newsletter focused on Native issues.

The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. But that doesn't mean it's free to produce.

Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient.

Help us keep doing that. Join us today. Meghanlata Gupta is a student at Yale University and the founder of Indigenizing the News, a newsletter focused on Native issues. More by Meghanlata Gupta. At The Hechinger Report, we publish thoughtful letters from readers that contribute to the ongoing discussion about the education topics we cover.

Please read our guidelines for more information. By submitting your name, you grant us permission to publish it with your letter. We will never publish your email. You must fill out all fields to submit a letter. Hello, my name is Kylene Pratt. Do we know where and why we decided too be called American Indian? The fact this still goes on in todays society. We see it with African Americans ask for the respective interest towards their ethnicity but why does the world choose to continue not respect our sovereignty?

Our culture, rituals, and sacred sovereignty is dying. I am Lakota Sioux and Cherokee. As someone who is from India, I find some of the language used to describe me in this article as hurtful.

In other words, listen first to how someone introduces themselves and hold off on asking until the subject comes up naturally. Say, for example, your co-worker mentions being Native American. If an Indigenous person corrects you or asks you to use a different term when talking about them, consider it a learning opportunity.

You might say:. These include:. If someone does tell you their specific nation, state a preference, or explain they find a certain term offensive, simply apologize and use the correct terminology going forward. Honor their right to label their own identity instead of insisting on the term you consider correct.

Want to learn more? Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. With school just around the corner and coronavirus delta variant cases on the rise, families' back-to-school jitters are looking slightly different….

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