"Native American" is a reference of respect. If someone I know who is NA refers to themselves as "Indian" or "Amerindian" then I feel comfortable doing the same, but otherwise I use NA out of respect. To me, American, in this instance, also refers to those indigenous people who do not necessarily live in the United States, but on the continent of North and South America.

Good point, Spaw. That book I quoted from has a lot about the sometimes heinous manner in which they were "given" the religion of the oppressors who had totally ignored and negated any NA spiritual practises.

kat