What are Native Americans?

Question

Some people have said that Native Americans are Asian, others say they are not. My question is what race are Native Americans and why do they look Asian? Are the same race as Asians? Are they not called Asian because they live here? Basically, are they the same race as Asians and not called Asian because they live here? I've read so many things and seen so many things that I was wondering myself. My own grandmother, who is full Native American looks Asian.

Answer 1

Pause.

Race is a "cultural construct."  There is no *biological* basis for race.  I.e., there is no "asian" gene or set of genes.  So let's break this question down.

Some native americans have groups of features that to our culture look "Asian".  This is often noted in reference to Inuit peoples, etc.  There is a relatively well backed theory about the original population of the Americas, in which peoples migrated via a land bridge in the Bering Straight, from Asia to the American Continent.  From there, they would have walked from Alaska and down through the Americas.

While some genetic and archaeological evidence that supports this, there is also pretty clear evidence that around the same time, people were coming to the Americas by other ways - namely by boat.  There are archaeological connections to Europeans from French regions, and there are archaeological sites as far south as Chile that seem to predate the sites further to the north.  Had people walked north to south, logically, we'd see the oldest sites to the north, and then the youngest sites to the south.

The basic consensus at this time is that the americas were originally populated by several waves of migration by methods that included land bridge and boat.  Many of these people were from the areas now known as Asia, Russia, Siberia, etc.

That said, having a common ancestor does not make native americans "asian".  If that hypothesis worked, then asians are essentially "africans", since the original population of asia occurred from african migration.  See how that makes no sense?

Answer 2

Native Americans are the people that were in the continent of North America before the settlers from Europe came here. They may look a little Asian because their ancestors are believed to have come across the Bering Straight between Alaska and Asia while the land wasn't covered with water. Then when the water rose the land was covered and they couldn't get back across so they migrated south following the animals. Hope i helped =)

Answer 3

Native Americans are the people who lived in America before the Europeans came. They were originally referred to as "Indians" because the first Europeans thought they were in India.

They look Asian because they originally came to the Americas from Asia. But you wouldn't call them "Asian" now, just like I (whose family comes from England) wouldn't be called "English." I am American.

Answer 4

One theory is that they crossed a land bridge from Siberia, but Native Americans have similar Asian traits, one is that we have a blood deficiency that makes us susceptible to alcoholism among other things.

Answer 5

Some early Americans came over a land bridge across the Bering sea.  South American Indians are genetically  close to Australian Aborigines and Africans, mixing with tribes from the north. There is even the Clovis theory that some prehistoric north American immigrants were from Europe.  Recent DNA studies are finding the trail of historic immigrations.

Answer 6

Native Americans are the group that used to be called American Indians.

they look somewhat Asian because this group once was Asian,  immigrating to the Americas ( thousands of years ago) across the Bering Strait when there was a land bridge there.

Answer 7

Native Americans Came to the Americas From Various Places and They were Known as asians, Indians, and lots more. Too answer your questions

Answer 8

There are a number of reasons to believe that people came to the Americas from Asia.

First is the process of elimination. There are no hominids that developed in the Americas. This is the family that include humans and apes. Therefore, any humans had to come from elsewhere.

Second is physical evidence. The appearance of humans in the Americas coincides with the end of the last ice age and the existence of the Bering land bridge.

Third is genetic evidence. Native Americans have what is called shovel shaped teeth. Basically the back of the front teeth are curved, much like a shovel. This is a trait that they share with people in Northwestern Asia.

There's the fact that Native American languages show they belong to three groupings: PaleoIndians ( Pai, Pima, and Pueloans); Athapaskans (Navaho and Apache) and Eskimo-Aleut (Inuits). The roots of these languages show commonality with Asian Tongues.

Lastly there's physical remains. Like teeth shape, the earliest skeletons of Paleoamericans show that they were of Mongolian stock. That is Asian. Even today the blood grouping of Native Americans and even some of the inherited diseases show and Asian origin. Even the Kennewick Man, dated to 9,300 appears to be from Asia.

Answer 9

Once upon a time there was a causeway between Asia and what is now known as Alaska

Answer 10

it has been theorized they came from asia when there was a solid land bridge in the Bering sea from Asia to North America. lots of info on the web, google it.

Answer 11

There are none.  Some migrated from Asia.  Thousands of years later, some more migrated from Europe.  Some or the more recent migrants imported Africans as slaves.  It all depends on how distant your viewpoint is.

You could also say that a Native American is anybody who was born in America.

Answer 12

native americans came from asia VERY LONG time ago. when asia was connected to, what is now, Alaska.  Back then it was colder so there was an ice bridge.  These asians slowly migrated over to America and slowy moved more southern.  Some even went all the way dow to the most southern part of South America

Answer 13

The reason that Native Americans can look a bit Asian is because there probably is heritage to Asians.  

There was a land bridge between Russia/Asia and Alaska at one point where people could walk from Asia to Alaska, and go from there.  Hence, why Eskimos - look a bit Asian, why Native Americans - look a bit Asian.

Obviously over time, from results of environment, as well as breeding (especially once English and Spanish came to Americas), can account for variety of differences between the tribes.

Answer 14

As many people have said, the current evidence seems to show that "Native Americans" originally came from Asia through Russia, down through Alaska, and through the rest of North and South America. This is what current DNA marker testing seems to show. They aren't quite the same since they were separated by rising seas thousands of years ago, but they have certain "Asian" features (high cheek bones, almond eyes)

They are not called Asian, well, among other things, they don't live in ASIA! LOL. Okay, they are culturally completely different, even if they may be similar genetically. If you didn't make that type of distinction, wouldn't you just call us all "Human" since we all come from some great relative? (Even if you believe in Creation, we are supposed to have common ancestors)

Hope that helps!

Answer 15

They are racially-Asian, seeing as they came originally from Asia, although over time these traits became less obvious.

Answer 16

the similarity is because the first people to inhabit the americas migrated across the beiring strait, from asia.

they are called native americans because they were the first to inhabit i guess

although, i know a lot of natives in new york and they pretty much hate that explanation.  creation story is very strongly believed :)

Answer 17

Native Americans are Native Americans

Answer 18

well, native americans were the people who lives in the usa before people came from england here and stole their land. there is a theory that the asians migrated east from asia to north america, but this theory is not yet proven.

Answer 19

A Native American Is anyone born in this country regardless of color or race.

Answer 20

the one fact that everyone has missed in answering this question is that a true american indian cannot grow facial hair. when did you ever see an american indian with a beard or moustache or sideburns ?

Answer 21

Native Americans are Native Americans AKA Indians. They were called Indians by Columbus because when he landed in America he thought he was in India.  They are not Asian. They are the original people in America, there are so few of them now days because when the USA became the USA settlers etc. killed or forced the majority of them into reservations. Also, many traders in the early days gave Native Americans blankets infested with small pocks which killed off many.

Answer 22

what did she tell you, and why didnt you belive it