Columbus landed on Hispaniola (present-day Dominican Republic and Haiti) in October 1492. He thought he’d reached the East Indies, labelling the inhabitants “indios” or Indians in Spanish. He named the region “Las Indias” or The Indies. Columbus also informed the Spanish crown that he had reached Asian fringes. Later, the Caribbean region would be renamed, but only as the “West Indies.” This allowed for the differentiation from the East Indies, part of Asia. The “Indians” for all Native American tribes would persist down to modern times.
Resistance to Change
The Europeans realized their navigational error by the early 1500s. Realizing that a whole different continent existed, maps and other documents now reflected this change, except for the “Indies” or “Indian” terms. These misnomers still appeared to distinguish the area from Asia. Plus, as history has shown, bureaucrats can be resistant to name changes.
The administrative opposition stemmed from the change in the status quo. The term “Indian” lay embedded in all kinds of literature, legal documents, maps, and trade routes. The merchant companies bore names such as The Dutch West Indies Company, for example. Changing the names of these colonial governments would be expensive, both politically and economically.
The later American governments continued the practice. “Indian” became a blanket term when dealing with Native American tribes. Action reports, census records, and legal classifications often referred to “Indians” rather than the tribe’s actual name. Perhaps unintentionally, but Columbus’s mistake still lingered three centuries later. Some Native Americans refer to themselves as Indians. The American government branch tasked with assisting Native Americans is the “Bureau of Indian Affairs.”
Also, naming all Natives as “Indians” led to an oversimplification. The American continent was home to a vast array of tribes, languages, and cultures.
The Cultural Implications
Despite just being an expression, being called “Indian” versus Native American could set a tone for a vast number of groups. The term “Indian” for non-Native Americans allowed them to be portrayed only in specific ways. This occurred in literature, movies, and other media—the view: the hostile warrior or the noble savage.
In America, the Civilization Fund Act of 1819 paid religious groups to educate Native children to “civilize” them. Next came the Board School System (1860-1978) with the same goal: to educate Native children for assimilation. This would help address the “Indian problem.” Students could not speak their native languages or cultural ways. By creating such trauma, tribal cohesion would break down.
Later on, Columbus’s mistake would be reinforced in popular media (pulp fiction, Wild West shows). These books and shows described “Indians” as whooping savages, riding into rob or kill.
In diplomatic or legal terms, the term “Indian” was adopted in the jargon. Between 1778 and 1871, the U.S. and Native nations signed over 350 treaties. “Indian” referred to the tribes in most cases. Even discriminatory laws such as the 1830 Indian Removal Act made no difference. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs was created early in the 19th century, reinforcing the misnomer.
In an ironic twist, the signed treaties could explain why Native Americans are still called “Indians.” The treaties often contain land agreements, and it may be difficult to withdraw from the word’s implications.
A Mixed Response
Even today, there are differences in Native American communities. In official contexts, some tribes used the term “Indian” in legal matters. One major organization is the “Great Sioux Nation of Indians.” Native American became popular in the 1970s as a more accurate, respectful term. These tribes include the Cherokee Nation, Choctaw Nation, and the Navajo Nation.
