Title: Native American vs. American Indian: Which Is Preferred?
Headings: ‘Native American’ or ‘American Indian’? How to Talk About Indigenous People of America
‘Native American’ or ‘American Indian’? How to Talk About Indigenous People of America
Where these terms originated
Which should you use?
What about ‘Alaska Native’?
Can I just say ‘Indigenous’?
What about tribe names?
How to talk about it
If someone corrects you
Terms to avoid
The bottom line

Content: Whenever possible, aim to use a specific tribe name rather than a generalized umbrella term. No matter how polite or respectful terms like “Native American” or “Alaska Native” aim to be, these are still English names assigned by white people. These terms also lump hundreds of unique and culturally diverse tribes into one mass group. And again, while “Native American” does acknowledge the fact that members of these tribes lived on this land before anyone else, it still uses the English name for the continent. This only serves to emphasize that the land was, in fact, stolen from Indigenous people, who were then forced onto reservations and denied their languages and cultural identities. Using specific tribe names doesn’t change this fact, but it does help reaffirm both cultural and personal identity. FYI
Some tribe names you’re familiar with may not actually originate with that tribe. You might know the names Navajo or Sioux, for example, but members of these tribes may call themselves Diné or Lakota — their name in their own language. How to talk about it
It’s best to be as specific as possible when referring to Indigenous people, but how do you go about finding out their background and preference? Many people are willing to talk about their identity and nationality, but it’s important to make sure your questions don’t “other” them or give offense in other ways.