Big Question

How can we learn more about ancient peoples that thrived 

in the Great Basin Desert? 

You will answer this question by researching Earth's processes and archaeological practices to create and present a proposal to ask for funding that will support your archaeological research on early Nevadans.

What is the proper terminology: Indigenous, Indigenous Peoples, Native American, or American Indian?

Generally, Indigenous pronounce: in·dig·e·nous refers to those peoples with pre-existing sovereignty(supreme power or authority) who were living together as a community before contact with settler populations, most often – though not only – Europeans. 

Indigenous is the most inclusive term, as there are Indigenous peoples on every continent throughout the world – such as the Sami in Sweden, the First Nations in Canada, Mayas in Mexico and Guatemala, and the Ainu in Japan – fighting to remain culturally intact on their land bases. 

Indigenous Peoples refers to a group of Indigenous peoples with a shared national identity, such as “Navajo” or “Sami,” and is the equivalent of saying “the American people.” Native American and American Indian are terms used to refer to peoples living within what is now the United States before European contact. 

American Indian has a specific legal context because the branch of law, Federal Indian Law, uses this term. American Indian is also used by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget through the U.S. Census Bureau.

Whenever possible, it is best to use the name of an individual’s particular Indigenous community or nation of people; for example, The people that inhabited the Great Basin prior to the European invasion were the Numa or Numu (Northern Paiute), the Washeshu (Washoe), the Newe (Shoshone), and the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) and they are also “American Indian,” “Native American,” and “Indigenous.”

Source: Native American and Indigenous Peoples FAQs - UCLA Equity, Diversity & Inclusion