When European explorers first landed on the shores of North America, they mistakenly believed that they had landed in India, hence they began incorrectly calling the indigenous peoples Indians.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the name stuck, and many people still refer to Native Americans<\/a> as Indians to this day. While there are a select few Native Americans that refer to themselves as Indians, most prefer to use their tribal names.<\/p>\n While Native American is still the preferred term, it\u2019s just as misleading as the term Indian. Both insinuate a homogeneous population<\/a> when in fact, there were thousands of tribes at the time European explorers came to the Americas. Many of those tribes did not share a common language and had their own cultures. Some tribes were constantly at war with one another. It is likely for this reason that many indigenous peoples of the Americas prefer to use their tribal names, such as Sioux or Lakota or Apache.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a general rule of thumb, it\u2019s best to ask whether it\u2019s okay to refer to a Native American as Indian so as to avoid offending the person.<\/p>\n When Europeans first came to the Americas, Native American tribes were found in all corners of the country.<\/p>\n Eventually, the Europeans moved westward, pushing the native peoples out of their homeland. Advanced technology and superior numbers prevailed, and the remaining natives were moved onto what is known as Indian reservations.<\/p>\n There are hundreds of reservations across the United States, and unfortunately, many of the natives that live there today are living in poverty<\/a>. Some tribes have profited off of the natural resources on their lands and are wealthy. Other reservations run thriving tourist businesses.<\/p>\n While many Native Americans still live on reservations today, not all <\/em>do. There are a great many that have chosen to integrate into America\u2019s dominant culture.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Visiting a reservation is a great way to learn more about the Native American culture. Not all reservations are open to the public, but those that are typically offer a wealth of information. From museums to hotels, cultural exhibits and more, there\u2019s a lot to experience and explore. Some tribes also allow the public to join in on their ceremonies and dances.<\/p>\n Please note that not all reservations are open to the public and many still wish to preserve their culture and privacy of their homes. There are tribes that also prohibit outsiders from joining in on their dances and ceremonies, so please respect their privacy and wishes.<\/p>\nA Diverse Range of Tribes<\/h3>\n
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Visiting Reservations<\/h3>\n