Etiquette for Non-Indians

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Mar 9, 2006

taken in its entirety by request of website: http://www.nativecircle.com/etiquette.htm

pointers to help well-meaning folks avoid being

unknowingly impolite to american indian people

[color=#990000]don't ask if we get money from the casino....

[color=#990000]don't bother telling the story about the arrowhead....

[color=#990000]don't pick up a rattle and shake it without at least asking....

[color=#990000]avoid the 'who looks more indian' stuff....

[color=#990000]don't touch or pick up our personal belongings without asking....

[color=#990000]use the word 'nation' instead of 'tribe'....

[color=#990000]refer to indian traditional clothing as regalia, not a 'costume'....

[color=#990000]avoid the 'how much indian are you' questions....

[color=#990000]don't ask if we are 'full-blood' or 'pure-indian'....

[color=#990000]don't ask "are you a real indian"....

[color=#990000]don't ask 'can i touch you?'....

[color=#990000]avoid interupting, especially with elders....

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all in all, be as respectful and courteous as you would

with any other ethnic group and you'll avoid being

unknowingly disrespectful to indigenous people. (a good test is to apply the above scenarios to another

ethnic group to get an understanding of just how

offensive they can be)

written by john two-hawks