National Museum of the American Indian - Online Exhibition

Native American Technology and Art

Native American Art

Native American Tribal Languages

Omaha Tribe Music, Pow Wow’s

Omaha Indian Heritage Project.

American Indian Day was first observed by a group of Rochester, New York Boy Scouts at the suggestion of Dr. Arthur Parker, Director of the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences. The Boy Scouts started this celebration and continued it from 1912 to 1915. In 1914, Red Fox James, a Blackfoot from Montana, traveled on horseback four thousand miles soliciting the aid of governors for a holiday honoring the American Indians. He presented his proposal to a group of governors in Washington DC on December 14, 1914 where it was adopted by 24 states. In the 1915 annual meeting of the American Indian Association, 1,250 Native Americans gathered in Lawrence, Kansas and sanctioned the plan. At this session, September 28, the fourth Friday in September, was set forth as the designated date. The following year, New York adopted the celebration preceding the adoption of other states. While a few states have selected other days, most states follow the September convention of honoring our Native American heritage.

Here are 2 frequently asked questions and answers:

Q: What is the difference between "American Indian," "Native American," "First Nations," and "indigenous people"? Which one should I use?

A: "American Indians," "Native Americans," and "First Nations people" are synonyms. They all refer to the same people. "Indigenous people" is a broader term that refers to any culture that lived in a place first. So Native Americans are all indigenous people, but not all indigenous people are Native Americans. For example, native African cultures are also indigenous.

Most indigenous people in the US use "American Indian," and most indigenous people in Canada use "First Nations." "Native Americans" or "indigenous Americans" are frequently used to refer to people in both countries. Some native people have a preference for one term or the other, but none of them are offensive. Most Native Americans identify themselves primarily by their tribe,such as Cherokee, Chickasaw, Lakota, etc..

Q: Are Inuit/Eskimos Native American? What about Hawaiians? What about the Metis?

A: No. Like the Native Americans, these three groups are indigenous peoples of Canada and the United States. However, they have unique histories and cultures and consider themselves distinct from Native Americans. The Inuit are polar people who live in the far north of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. (The word "Eskimo" is considered rude by many Inuit.) The Hawaiians are Polynesian people who are considered indigenous Americans for political reasons (the Hawaiian islands are very far from the North American mainland, but were annexed by the United States). The Metis are mixed-race people whose ancestors were primarily Cree Indians and French Canadians. They have developed a unique culture from these two influences.

Information submitted by Ms. Schlesinger - 6B