Demographics for the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian population
American Indians and Alaska Natives
American Indians are usually considered as people who have some documented degree of Indian blood, are regarded as tribal members by their community, and have ancestors who lived in America before the Europeans arrived. An Alaska Native is usually considered to be a member or descendant of Alaska′s aboriginal peoples. Indian tribes and government agencies have different ways for determining who is a tribal member.
- Most importantly, a person first identifies himself or herself as an American Indian or Alaska Native.
- Most tribal governments have policies related to the degree of Indian blood a person must have to be a tribal member; however, the degree of blood varies widely among tribes. For example, Navajo must be at least one-fourth, and Cherokee must have a Cherokee ancestor.
- Some American Indian people are members of tribes that are not presently recognized by the federal government. For example, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, whose tribal Council is headquartered in Great Falls, Montana, is not yet federally recognized but is recognized by the State of Montana.
- The U.S. Department of Education′s rule is a person must be registered by a tribe.
- The U.S. Census Bureau uses self-identification without verification.
- The Bureau of Indian Affairs rule is that a person′s Indian blood quantum must be at least one-fourth, and a person must be a member of a federally recognized tribe.
The Census Bureau estimates there are 4.4 million American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those in combination with other races living in the United States. As of July 2004, more American Indians and Alaska Natives lived in California (687,400) than any other state in the nation, followed by Oklahoma (398,200) and Arizona (322,200). In addition, about 1 in 5 Alaska citizens (19 percent) were American Indians and Alaska Natives. Table 1 shows Census 2000 population statistics for Ten Largest Places in American Indian and Alaska Native Population.
Table 1.
Ten Places with the Largest American Indian and Alaska Native Population: Census 2000| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Rank | Number | Percent of Population |
| New York, NY | 1 | 41,289 | 0.5 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2 | 29,412 | 0.8 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 3 | 26,696 | 2.0 |
| Anchorage, AK | 4 | 18,941 | 7.3 |
| Tulsa, OK | 5 | 18,551 | 4.7 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 6 | 17,743 | 3.5 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 7 | 17,444 | 3.9 |
| Tucson, AZ | 8 | 11,038 | 2.3 |
| Chicago, IL | 9 | 10,290 | 0.4 |
| San Antonio, TX | 10 | 9,584 | 0.8 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Rank | Number | Percent of Population |
| New York, NY | 1 | 87,241 | 1.1 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2 | 53,092 | 1.4 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 3 | 35,093 | 2.7 |
| Anchorage, AK | 6 | 26,995 | 10.4 |
| Tulsa, OK | 4 | 30,227 | 7.7 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 5 | 29,001 | 5.7 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 7 | 22,047 | 4.9 |
| Tucson, AZ | 11 | 15,358 | 3.2 |
| Chicago, IL | 8 | 20,898 | 0.7 |
| San Antonio, TX | 12 | 15,224 | 1.3 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. The American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2000
American Indians and Alaska Natives speak more than 250 languages. Some live on rural or remote reservations, in villages and pueblos, and on rancherias and tribal trust lands; but according to the Census 2000 the majority (66 percent) live in urban areas. There are 619 American Indian reservations and Alaska Native villages in the United States. Most reservations and tribal villages are located in rural areas. For example, in southeast Montana, the closest ′metropolitan′ area to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is more than 100 miles away. The largest reservation, the Navajo Nation overlaps parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. A map of Indian Reservations across the country is available at the U.S. Department of the Interior website (National Park Service website).
Alaska is home to five distinct groups of Alaska Natives including the Northwest Coast Indians, Inupiaqs, Yupiks, Aleuts, and Athabascans. For a better idea about the remoteness of many villages in Alaska, consider that Access Alaska, a Center for Independent Living, has the largest service area in the country; approaching 440,000 square miles, including 100 Alaska Native bush villages with no road access. A map of Alaska Native Tribal Villages is available at the Environmental Protection Agency′s Region 10 website (EPA website).
There are now 562 Federally recognized tribes, each maintaining a government-to-government relationship with the United States. The topics of Tribal sovereignty and government-to-government relationships will be further discussed by the Native American CWIC team in forthcoming fact sheets.
Native Hawaiians
The original people of Hawaii may refer to themselves as the Kanaka Maoli. Native Hawaiians are descendants of the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands before the arrival of European explorers. While Native Hawaiians are indigenous peoples, they do not enjoy the same federal recognition as American Indian or Alaska Native tribes.
A Hawaiian home land is a specific tract of land that has a legally defined boundary and is owned by the state. The state may lease these tracts of land to Native Hawaiians. Maps of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands Landholdings are available at the Department of Hawaiian Homelands Landholdings website.
The Census Bureau estimated in July 2004 that there were 959,603 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders or Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander in combination with other races in this country. An estimated 495,000 people were identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. Approximately 282,500 Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders live in Hawaii, which leads all states for this population. An estimated 20 percent of Hawaii′s population is made up of Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders.
Disability and the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Population
Census 2000 reports a disability rate of 24.3 percent for American Indians and Alaska Natives ages five and over, and a 27 percent disability rate for American Indians and Alaska Natives of working age (16-64) in the civilian non-institutionalized population. Census 2000 also reports a disability rate of 19 percent for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders alone ages five and over, and 21 percent for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders of working age (16-64) in the civilian non-institutionalized population.
The National Council on Disability reports that the types of disabilities found in the general population can also be found in the American Indian and Alaska Native population. For many of these disabilities, such as disability related to diabetes and drug and alcohol abuse, the prevalence is higher. Many disabilities, such as emotional or mental health problems, learning disabilities, alcohol/drug dependence, or deafness are nearly or completely invisible. The Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) reports that heart disease is a major cause of disability for Native Hawaiians. This population also has increased incidence of disability due to stroke and other cerebrovascular conditions. Similar to American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians have high rates of obesity and diabetes. In addition, alcohol abuse is a major problem in the Native Hawaiian community.
References
Alaska Department of Commerce. (n.d.). Alaska Natives. Retrieved October 19, 2005 from http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/oed/ student_info/learn/nativeculture.htm
American Indian Disability Technical Assistance Center. (2000). How to Hold a Successful Talking Circle. Missoula: The University of Montana Rural Institute on Disabilities.
APIAHF. (April 2001). Guidance for Designing a National Disparities Report [Issues Briefs]. Retrieved August 2, 2007 from http://www.apiahf.org/policy/healthaccess/200104brief_ahrq.htm
Canby, W. (2003). American Indian Law in a Nutshell (4th ed.). St. Paul: Thompson-West.
Duus, B. (Summer 2003). Reconciliation between the United States and Native Hawaiians: The Duty of the United States to Recognize a Native Hawaiian Nation and Settle the Ceded Lands Dispute. Asian Pacific Law & Policy Journal, 4, 393, 394.
Legal Foundation for Hawaiian Independence. (n.d.). A Brief History of Hawaii. Retrieved October 19, 2005 from http://www.hawaii-nation.org/moolelo.html
National Council on Disability. (2003, August 1). Understanding Disabilities in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: Toolkit Guide. Retrieved October 26, 2005 from http://www.ncd.gov/ newsroom/publications/2003/native_toolkit.htm
U.S. Census Bureau. (2003, October 20). American Indian Alaska Native Heritage Month. [Facts for Features]. Retrieved October 25, 2005 from http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/ archives/facts_for_features/001492.html
U.S. Census Bureau. (2005, August 11). U.S. Census Bureau News. Retrieved October 18, 2005 from http://www.census.gov/ Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/005514.html
U.S. Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Benefits Planning, Assistance, and Outreach (BPAO) Program. [Practice guideline]. Retrieved October 15, 2005 from http://www.ssa.gov/work/ServiceProviders/ bpaofactsheet.html
U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Table 1: Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin for the United States: 2000 to 2003. Retrieved October 18, 2005 from
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/ img/cb04-98-table1.xls
Sanderson, P. (2001). American Indians: an overview of factors influencing health care, disability, and service delivery. In C.A. Marshall (Ed). Rehabilitation and American Indians with disabilities: a handbook for administrators, practitioners, and researchers. (p. 28). Athens, GA: Elliot & Fitzpatrick, Inc.
Waldrop, J. & Stern, S. (March 2003). Disability Status: 2000. [Census Brief]. Retrieved October 17, 2005 from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/publications.html
