and We Do not Say "Eskimo"

Remember the rant and rave about the "white mind" in the title of a book. Where I carefully stayed away from the term "native" (which was also in the title) and its usage because I am white and it is one of those things one has to be careful about.

However right now I am "up north" and reading: “The Last Imaginary Place – a Human History of the Arctic World” by Robert McGhee.

Here is an extract regarding the term “Eskimo”:

“… The name Eskimo has been said to derive from an Algonkian Indian term meaning”people who eat raw meat.” This is an excellent characterization of the people of the Arctic coasts, but the name is currently thought by some to be derogatory and in Canada is usually replaced by the name “Inuit,” which simply means “humans” in their own language. Greenlandic Inuit commonly refer to themselves as Kaladlit or Greenlanders as well as Inuit, while the name Eskimo is in general use by the people of Alaska and Siberia. Linguistits tell us that, in fact, the original Algonkian Indian term probably meant only “people who live up the coast.” “Inuit: is used here (in his book) to refer to those Eskimos who live in northern Alaska and Greenland, all of whom speak a single language known as Inuktituut….”

The book was first published in 2004, which can be relevant in conversation about current use of various terms.

I does tickle my sense of humor that while carefully explaining that indeed in Canada we do not use the term "Eskimo" anymore, he actually uses “Indian”. 

So it’s been said in Canada we do not say “Indian” anymore. I think it really is on its way out in the States too. The appropriate term these days is Aboriginal….. so I was told by Aboriginal friends....and they do NOT like "native" anymore than I do. I actually like the term "aboriginal".