Indians born in mexico should be called "native mexicans?"?

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Jose Nakagawa

All of the answers above basically answer your question. "IndÃgena" is the correct word. "Indio" was once used to refer to the indigenous peoples, but because the Spanish came in and created a caste-system (Spanish on top, INdian on bottom... mixed were in-between depending on your skin color) "Indio became synonymous with stupid, or poor, etc.

The other thing is most Mexicans have some "indÃgena" blood in them. When the English colonized the northeast U.S., there was hardly any mixing. The Mayflower brought whole families. When Hernan Cortez (Spanish explorer) arrived in Mexico, his ship had mostly men. Without delving into further detail, the mixing started there.

Also, when the Spanish waged war against the Aztecs, they couldn't win on their own. (Contrary to popular belief, the Spaniards didn't just roll into Tenochtitlan and defeat them easily) The Spanish had to form alliances with surrounding tribes who hated the Aztecs. Once the Spanish defeated the Aztecs, the Spanish crown rewarded the men in the neighbouring tribes with plots of land and a certain amount of wealth. Since Spain had been busy fighting wars back home, there was a shortage of men, and many poor women in Spain heard about rich Indian men in Mexico looking for Spanish women. Once again... the Mixing happened.

The end result is that most Mexicans today are a mix of Spanish an Indian. The Spanish set up a caste system with Spanish born whites at the top, Mexican born whites below them, the mestizos (mix white and INdian) in the middle, and the Indians at the bottom. That's why there's no real reservations in Mexico and indigenous issues take a back burner... most Mexicans are part indigenous. However, there are still tribes that cling to their roots, haven't mixed and live off the land. These are the 'indigenas'

Another interesting thing. Once a pure blooded 'indigena' moves to the city and has kids and becomes urban... even though he is 100% Indian.... it's an insult to call him 'indigena'. Leading me to think that 'indigena' isn't so much a racial thing, as a way of live

"Native Mexican" would refer to anyone born in Mexico, regardless of race. For example, my parents r Japanese, but I would consider myself a native Mexican.

As for Canada... I think they just use the word native and indigenous. Not sure.

marci knows best

Indians born in Mexico are called indigenous because they are the earliest known inhabitants. In Mexico they are called "indÃgenas". The term Indian or "Indio" is considered a serious insult.

Nazki13

It is more common to call them ''Indigenas'' but I have heard that they are also called ''native mexicans'', anyway most of the people is mixed, we have a very big past and all kinds of people have came here...

Qasim Ali

First of all in Canada the ''NATIVE INDIANS'' are refer as RED INDIANS in Mexico they are known as ''AMERINDIANS'' And the largest group of MEXICO are MESTIZO they are those who are Amerindians mixed with European Spanish people.

Then they got Chicanos or Chicana they are pure Amerindians looking

visitor

i think theyre still called Native Americans...because we live in North America-it's not really done by countries, i think it's more continental?

michelle

Mexico is part of north America, so it is native American.

85 percent of Mexico is native Americans that have changed their language to spanish, due to the spanish forbidding them to speak the native language.

But some have managed to continue traditions and speak the language.

Only only about 15 percent are spanish, and at least half of the population is mixed with spanish.

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