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Native American or American Indian?
A reader's question from Japan
Posted: August 13, 2004 - 12:40pm EST
Dear Indian Country Today,
I’d be much obliged if you would answer my question about a practical usage of the word "Indian."
I am a member of a study group that works on English language education for children in Japan. We received complaints about using a word "Indian" in teaching material we made.
A dictionary published in Japan says that "Indian" is an offensive term and not used in the U.S. anymore. "Native American" is a proper term.
In fact, I have heard the news that a symbol of a high school in Minnesota, which was an Indian, was forced to change to a wolf because it was considered as a racial discrimination in the ’80s. Also the words of a famous song, "The 10 little Indians," has been changed to harmless lyrics.
But when I searched the word on the Internet, I found that "Indian" is used as a synonym of "Native American" on many Web sites that are concerned with Native Americans, including yours. It seems that this word has already been fully accepted as present-day English.
I’m sorry for sending such an e-mail, but please kindly inform us how the word "Indian" is used in your country, so that we won’t teach wrong things to Japanese children.
- Yuko Kijima, Japan
Editor’s response
Thank you for your very perceptive question. While it is true that the term "Indian" does not accurately describe the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, its usage, particularly when incorporated into the term "American Indian" has been largely (although not universally) accepted by most tribal officials. Also, as a matter of style usage the term "American Indian" seems to be gaining favor over the term "Native American," since it carries with it a more specific identification. For example, anyone born in the United States could technically call themselves "native Americans," but cannot identify themselves as "American Indians." Our newspaper prefers the term "American Indian," and we will often use the single word "Indian" for subsequent references within a story. Although language evolves through time and usage I would suggest that the term "American Indian" will likely become more commonplace nationally and internationally. One factor is because national publications such as ours, Indian Country Today, have made it our style choice. Other factors include its use in nationally and internationally renowned organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and the National Congress of American Indians, etc.
Nevertheless, you will still hear some complain that the term "Indian" is incorrect, which, technically, it is. The United States, alone, has hundreds of distinct tribal governments and communities - each with its own name for itself in its own language. However, you should know that the term American Indian is widely understood and accepted even within the discourse of American Indians themselves, since 1) we all know whom we’re talking about, and 2) decades of argument and searching for an all-encompassing alternative have proven futile unless you have the luxury of listing the names of every tribe written accurately in their own languages.
In closing let me say that the children of Japan are very fortunate to have someone like you working so diligently to teach them the correct use of the English language. By your very question I can tell you are intellectually engaged on behalf of your students. Unfortunately, not every question has a simple answer and American Indians themselves have struggled to get even English speaking peoples to speak and use the English language clearly and honestly.
- Tim Johnson, Executive Editor
Indian Country Today
____
WhoMe's Comments:
the term "Indian" is the actual legal term used in federal law. In modern usage, the legal term "Indian" usually means an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe (or one who is eligible to be enrolled in a federally recognized tribe). Each tribe has the sovereign authority to define who their members are and who is eligible to be enrolled. Some tribes have blood quantum requirements (a requirement that to be enrolled, a person must have at least a certain degree of tribal ancestry - such as one-fourth) while other tribes' laws state that a person is eligible for enrollment if one of their ancestors appears on a particular historical list of tribal members. Ultimately, the question of, "Who is an Indian?", is determined by tribal law.
A reader's question from Japan
Posted: August 13, 2004 - 12:40pm EST
Dear Indian Country Today,
I’d be much obliged if you would answer my question about a practical usage of the word "Indian."
I am a member of a study group that works on English language education for children in Japan. We received complaints about using a word "Indian" in teaching material we made.
A dictionary published in Japan says that "Indian" is an offensive term and not used in the U.S. anymore. "Native American" is a proper term.
In fact, I have heard the news that a symbol of a high school in Minnesota, which was an Indian, was forced to change to a wolf because it was considered as a racial discrimination in the ’80s. Also the words of a famous song, "The 10 little Indians," has been changed to harmless lyrics.
But when I searched the word on the Internet, I found that "Indian" is used as a synonym of "Native American" on many Web sites that are concerned with Native Americans, including yours. It seems that this word has already been fully accepted as present-day English.
I’m sorry for sending such an e-mail, but please kindly inform us how the word "Indian" is used in your country, so that we won’t teach wrong things to Japanese children.
- Yuko Kijima, Japan
Editor’s response
Thank you for your very perceptive question. While it is true that the term "Indian" does not accurately describe the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere, its usage, particularly when incorporated into the term "American Indian" has been largely (although not universally) accepted by most tribal officials. Also, as a matter of style usage the term "American Indian" seems to be gaining favor over the term "Native American," since it carries with it a more specific identification. For example, anyone born in the United States could technically call themselves "native Americans," but cannot identify themselves as "American Indians." Our newspaper prefers the term "American Indian," and we will often use the single word "Indian" for subsequent references within a story. Although language evolves through time and usage I would suggest that the term "American Indian" will likely become more commonplace nationally and internationally. One factor is because national publications such as ours, Indian Country Today, have made it our style choice. Other factors include its use in nationally and internationally renowned organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian and the National Congress of American Indians, etc.
Nevertheless, you will still hear some complain that the term "Indian" is incorrect, which, technically, it is. The United States, alone, has hundreds of distinct tribal governments and communities - each with its own name for itself in its own language. However, you should know that the term American Indian is widely understood and accepted even within the discourse of American Indians themselves, since 1) we all know whom we’re talking about, and 2) decades of argument and searching for an all-encompassing alternative have proven futile unless you have the luxury of listing the names of every tribe written accurately in their own languages.
In closing let me say that the children of Japan are very fortunate to have someone like you working so diligently to teach them the correct use of the English language. By your very question I can tell you are intellectually engaged on behalf of your students. Unfortunately, not every question has a simple answer and American Indians themselves have struggled to get even English speaking peoples to speak and use the English language clearly and honestly.
- Tim Johnson, Executive Editor
Indian Country Today
____
WhoMe's Comments:
the term "Indian" is the actual legal term used in federal law. In modern usage, the legal term "Indian" usually means an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe (or one who is eligible to be enrolled in a federally recognized tribe). Each tribe has the sovereign authority to define who their members are and who is eligible to be enrolled. Some tribes have blood quantum requirements (a requirement that to be enrolled, a person must have at least a certain degree of tribal ancestry - such as one-fourth) while other tribes' laws state that a person is eligible for enrollment if one of their ancestors appears on a particular historical list of tribal members. Ultimately, the question of, "Who is an Indian?", is determined by tribal law.
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