We created a guide of identifiers that refer to Indigenous peoples. We understand and want to emphasize that collective terms and labels for Indigenous people are complex and have important nuances. As you navigate our guide, we encourage you to think of these names in the following categories:
A good rule of thumb is to always ask an Indigenous person how they prefer to be described. It’s good to also be aware most Indigenous individuals prefer to be called by their specific tribal affiliation(s) and many may also prefer to use their tribe’s traditional name said in the tribe’s traditional language.
Aboriginal (with a capital ‘A’) is commonly used to describe the Indigenous peoples of mainland Australia. However, “aboriginal” with a lower case ‘a’ is synonymous with Indigenous as both words describe the original inhabitants of a geographic location.
Alaska Natives are the Indigenous peoples of Alaska. It is also a very distinct legal and political classification under U.S. law.
A term that refers to the Indigenous peoples of the contiguous United States and usually excludes Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. This term is more commonly used in academia and as a demographic label. According to the Indigenous Futures Survey, this term has fallen out of favor with Indigenous people as only 4% of those surveyed choose to identify as “American Indian”. However, like “Alaska Native,” it has a very important legal and political classification because this is the term referenced throughout U.S. statutes that govern the nation-to-nation relationship between tribes and the federal government, grounded in the constitution and individual treaties.
A term that refers to the Indigenous peoples of Canada.
Some Natives use “Indian” or “NDN” as a colloquial or slang name for each other and it can be a very common and personal reference among Native people and communities. However, it is almost never acceptable for non-Native people to use this term outside of the following appropriate contexts:
• “Indian Country” is a legal reference for tribal lands and jurisdictions but it’s also used as a collective name for Native communities in the U.S.
The original inhabitants of a geographic location. It is often used as an umbrella term for Native peoples no matter where they originate from. Also, when referring to Indigenous peoples, be sure to capitalize the word.
A term that refers to American Indians and Alaska Natives and usually excludes Native Hawaiians. This term is also often a broader reference to people from tribes that are not federally-recognized.
Native Hawaiians, or Kanaka Maoli, are the Indigenous peoples of Hawai’i. It is considered inappropriate and inaccurate to address Native Hawaiians as Native Americans since the Kingdom of Hawai’i was a sovereign nation overthrown in a coup led by American businessmen with the help of US troops.
We want to emphasize that collective language concerning Indigenous people is complex and has important nuances. This guide is intended as an introduction and starting point. We also invite any feedback you might have so we can continue to share.
A term that refers to peoples who have both Indigenous and African lineage.
Terms that refer to peoples who have both Indigenous and African lineage. These terms can be but are not always synonymous with Afro-Indigenous. Ultimately, their usage depends on how an individual chooses to describe themselves.
A system developed by the United States federal government to determine how much “Indian blood” an Indigenous person has and if they are qualified for tribal enrollment. Blood quantum limits accessibility to citizenship and is designed to decrease enrollment numbers. Today, some tribes still use blood quantum as criteria for tribal enrollment. As part of their sovereign status, every federally recognized tribe determines its own criteria for membership and enrollment.
A term that refers to people who were formerly enslaved. This is also an important legal and political classification whose contemporary usage refers to the descendants of people enslaved by Indigenous people or descendants of former enslaved people who lived among Indigenous people. For tribes like the Cherokee Nation, this is an especially complicated issue. Most recently, the Cherokee Supreme Court struck a portion of its constitution that formerly restricted freedmen from enrolling and running for office.
A social and legal principle that declared a person with even one Black ancestor is classified Black themselves. This concept led to many Afro-Indigenous peoples having their Indigenous identities and even their tribal citizenship denied. It is now another complicating factor when Afro-Indigenous people are required to prove lineage for tribal enrollment and other matters.
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