Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide For Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples by Language is powerful and dynamic. Since language changes over time, it is important to consider the past, present, and historical implications of the language we use to describe First Peoples. What terminology was acceptable 30 years ago could be considered inappropriate or even offensive today. Take time to review the following terminology to help inform your own learning.
Indigenous: Indigenous is a term used to describe people who have an ancestral connection to a certain location, pre-dating the arrival of colonists. According to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), Indigenous people practice unique traditions and "retain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live" (UNPFII Fact Sheet).
First Nations: ""First Nation" is a term used to describe Aboriginal peoples of Canada who are ethnically neither Métis nor Inuit. This term came into common usage in the 1970s and ‘80s and generally replaced the term "Indian," although unlike "Indian," the term "First Nation" does not have a legal definition. While "First Nations" refers to the ethnicity of First Nations peoples, the singular "First Nation" can refer to a band, a reserve-based community, or a larger tribal grouping and the status Indians who live in them" (UBC Indigenous Foundations).
Métis: "The Métis are a distinct Indigenous people with a unique history, culture, language, and territory that includes the waterways of Ontario, surrounds the Great Lakes, and spans what was known as the historic Northwest. The Métis Nation is comprised of descendants of people born of relations between Indian women and European men. The initial offspring of these unions were of mixed ancestry. The genesis of a new Indigenous people called the Métis resulted from the subsequent intermarriage of these mixed ancestry individuals. Distinct Métis settlements emerged as an outgrowth of the fur trade, along freighting waterways and watersheds" (Métis Nation of Ontario).
Inuit: "Inuit are Indigenous people of the Arctic. The word Inuit means "the people" in the Inuit language of Inuktut. The singular of Inuit is Inuk" (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada).
Aboriginal: "The term "Aboriginal" refers to the first inhabitants of Canada, and includes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. This term came into popular usage in Canadian contexts after 1982, when Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution defined the term as such. Aboriginal is also a common term for the Indigenous peoples of Australia. When used in Canada, however, it is generally understood to refer to Aboriginal peoples in a Canadian context. This term is not commonly used in the United States" (UBC Indigenous Foundations). This term has fallen out of favour due to its extensive use in government policy and the connotation of the "ab" prefix, which means "away from".
Native: ""Native" is a general term that refers to a person or thing that has originated from a particular place. The term "native" does not denote a specific Aboriginal ethnicity (such as First Nation, Métis, or Inuit). In the United States, the term "Native American" is in common usage to describe Aboriginal peoples. In Canada, the term "Aboriginal" or "Indigenous" is generally preferred to "Native." Some may feel that "native" has a negative connotation and is outdated. This term can also be problematic in certain contexts, as some non-Aboriginal peoples born in a settler state may argue that they, too, are "native"" (UBC Indigenous Foundations).
Indian: "The term "Indian" refers to the legal identity of a First Nations person who is registered under the Indian Act. The term "Indian" should be used only when referring to a First Nations person with status under the Indian Act, and only within its legal context. Aside from this specific legal context, the term "Indian" in Canada is considered outdated and may be considered offensive due to its complex and often idiosyncratic colonial use in governing identity through this legislation and a myriad of other distinctions (i.e., "treaty" and "non-treaty," etc.)" (UBC Indigenous Foundations).