General FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About American Indians

Terminology: American Indian or Native American?

While all of these terms are acceptable, I use “American Indian” in my work for two reasons: (1) There are two “Americas,” which means that “Native American” can be applied to Indigenous peoples in either North or South America and, because of this, (2) “American Indian” is very specific to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and is therefore used academically, such as in the American Indian Quarterly and the American Indian Research Journal.
You may also see “American Indian” referencing just citizens of federally recognized Native Nations, since they are legally distinct from Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and Alaskan Native shareholders.
However, let me encourage you to not use “American Indian” or “Native American” unless they are referring to broad federal law or statistics. Instead, you should use the name of the Native Nation (“Dr Lewis is a Cherokee Nation citizen” rather than “Dr Lewis is American Indian”)

How can I be a good ally to Indigenous peoples?

“The most important step is this: Train yourself toward solidarity and not charity. You are no one’s savior.” Brittany Packnett

The primary way that I suggest non-Indigenous people show allyship is by working for change within your own sphere of influence.

Indigenous peoples are making change in their own communities, so it is important for allies to do the same in their communities.
This includes:
– Incorporating and amplifying Indigenous voices in your life. Read Indigenous authors; promote Indigenous voices on social media; engage with friends and family about Indigenous topics
– Supporting the sovereignty of Native Nations by contacting policy-makers on relevant issues, following the lead of the Indigenous community
– Donating to reputable groups and buying from IACA certified artists.

I believe I might be/I’ve seen someone claiming to be Cherokee?

The Cherokee Scholars have issued a Statement on Sovereignty and Identity regarding identifying as a Cherokee person:
http://www.thinktsalagi.com/blog/2020/2/13/-cherokee-scholars-statement-on-sovereignty-and-identitynbsp

Close attention should be paid to point #2:
“Only individuals recognized as citizens of the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians should claim a Cherokee identity as part of their professional or personal identity, or otherwise assert a Cherokee identity to further their career or gain profit or professional advancement. Cherokee identity is a political identity that can only be established through documentation by one of the Cherokee governments that an individual is a Cherokee citizen. It is not, and never has been, an ethnic or racial identity that is established through self-identification.”

And point #3, which emphasizes that a distant relative (or belief in/family story about one) is not a legitimate basis for a public claim to Cherokee identity.
It is easy and quick to contact the genealogy office of the nation that you believe you are related to to verify any suspected claims.

Cherokee Nation Questions?

The Cherokee Nation has a comprehensive site for specific questions, including culture, history, and genealogy:
https://www.cherokee.org/about-the-nation/frequently-asked-questions/

How to contact Indigenous scholars

Indigenous scholars are usually overwhelmed with requests – this article will help you in thinking through how to best contact them:
https://theconversation.com/want-to-reach-out-to-an-indigenous-scholar-awesome-but-first-here-are-10-things-to-consider-168558

A list of known Cherokee citizen scholars can be found here:
http://www.thinktsalagi.com/scholars