Title: Native Americans - What did they call themselves? [Archive] - Straight Dope Message Board
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Content: Just don't call her Navajo. As for the Indian term, I believe it came into use when more Indians form India immigrated to the US and it became a confusing term. As least that why I call them Native Americans. S Puppy
05-06-2003, 06:20 PM
Originally posted by Xema
I've also been told that the term "Indian" is now in common use among Indians, and that they find "Native American" to be affected and effete. ( Anyone know if this is so?) Here Native Americans refer to themselves as Indians. It is
nothing new. I am not aware of any Indian here being insulted
by being called a Native American but they don't seem to use
the term much themselves. On occasion a tribe name will be
used if there is a need to differentiate between tribes, as in
a Sioux speaking about the Cheyenne. Dogface
05-07-2003, 03:03 PM
Collectively, the Indians I've known refer to themselves as "Indians".