Funny thing also is that the majority of Native Americans prefer being called “American Indians” to “Native Americans”. The Dept of Labor did a poll and like 60% preferred Indian.
My grand father, who was a native preferred to be called by his nation, Comanche. I remember one time I asked him if he was really and Indian, and he said, Indians are from India, I am a Comanche. Also found out after he died that he was only like 1/4 Comanche but he milked the hell out of it because he thought it was cool and he used the persona in WWII, so it stuck.
It's just like how "Oriental" was declared offensive.... but no one noticed all the Asian American owned businesses that have "Oriental" in the names and descriptions.
Funny thing also is that the majority of Native Americans prefer being called “American Indians” to “Native Americans”. The Dept of Labor did a poll and like 60% preferred Indian.
I prefer my racism to be old school, so I stick with 'Injuns'.
That is the correct legal term; so I hear.
My grand father, who was a native preferred to be called by his nation, Comanche. I remember one time I asked him if he was really and Indian, and he said, Indians are from India, I am a Comanche. Also found out after he died that he was only like 1/4 Comanche but he milked the hell out of it because he thought it was cool and he used the persona in WWII, so it stuck.
I would take pride in that too, the Comanche were bad motherfuckers. If Lizzie Warren can claim 1/1024, your Grandpa was a Comanche.
That's Comanche. If I'm Scot, Irish, Dutch and German, then any of those can be said on their own too, right? "Oh I'm Irish too."
When I travel to local reservations, they locals call themselves by their tribe.
Like most people on this planet.
They also say "the rez" to refer to where they live.
If you're going to use a generalized term, I prefer American Indian, because the American comes first.
And not a single fellow Indian I've every talked to had an issue with the original Land O Lakes logo.
Not one.
It's just like how "Oriental" was declared offensive.... but no one noticed all the Asian American owned businesses that have "Oriental" in the names and descriptions.
All the ones I've ever met have referred to themselves as Indians.
It varies, but most tribal nation members prefer to be called by their name. Cherokee, Mohawk, Seminole, Apache, etc.
I had a roommate who explained it to me like this: "Calling us Indians is an honest mistake. Calling us Americans is an intentional insult."