[Aztlan] Indians

[Wendy Bacon]

I looked on the web to see if I could find a certain interview with 
Tony Hillerman, the novelist who sets his mysteries on the Navajo 
Reservation, but I couldn't, which is a real drag, because you'll have 
to settle for what I can remember of it.

In the interview, Hillerman says he's attending a panel discussion with 
a group of five (or so) Native Americans/Indians/Amerindians/First 
Americans/Native Peoples/whatever, and somebody asks the panelists, 
"What do you prefer to be called?  Is it OK to say 'Indian"?"

The first panelist shrugs and says, "Well, I'm Navajo, and I prefer to 
be called Navajo, but if you didn't know I was Navajo, I guess 'Indian' 
would be OK."  The second panelist says, "Well, I'm Hopi, and I prefer 
to be called Hopi, but if you didn't know to say Hopi, I guess 'Indian' 
would be OK."  The third panelist says, "I'm Zuni, and I prefer to be 
called Zuni, but if  you didn't know I was Zuni, I guess 'Indian' would 
be OK."  THe fourth panelist says, "I'm just glad Columbus wasn't 
looking for the Virgin Islands."  "Yeah," says the last panelist, "or 
Turkey."


Wendy J. Bacon
Department of Anthropology
University of Pennsylvania