Natives...?!

I was just watching a show by "The Outdoorsman" Buck McNeely on my local television station. Might have been NBC. Anyways, it was about his elephant hunt in Zimbabwe i think. Honesty, not a very good portrayal of hunters... But anyways, when he visited a village and again when the groups were cutting up the elephant carcass he would say:

"The Natives really enjoyed my visit"

"The Natives wanted the elephant meat"

I mean....do you guys call the people of africa "natives"? I would think villagers, zimbabweans, local people, etc would be more appropriate. When they visit our countries do they say "The natives had a nice wal-mart?". Food for thought i suppose.

I wonder if some hunters, like Buck McNeely, say "natives" to make the people at home (or audience in this case) really think that they are out in the dark continent, exploring vast untold wilderness that no white man has seen before?

I just think it's kind of stupid and bordering on inappropriate. Anyone have thoughts on the issue?

OMG, Anything but Buck McNeely.. I thought he was gone. That is the worst hunting show I can ever remember seeing in my entire life. I remember going over to Africa maybe 15 years ago and the guys there were complaining about him. Please tell me it was an old re-run and this guy is not still on the air. I have not heard his name for many years.

Yes, I thinks it a little racist and small minded.

I would agree that it is not appropriate. However, I would like to hear from someone who lives in Afrcia on what would be proper.

Where I'm from in North Dakota, it's not really "backwoods" (although some might disagree with me ), we use the term "locals" to refer to people who live in any given area, even our own. By no means is it derogatory, it's just what we use. When I have talked to people about my safari, it is the same term I used to describe the people I met in Africa too.

nd

Tom,
We refer to our Indigenous peoples as natives in Northern Ontario. That's the term they prefer and they feel any other term is racist. I guess it's a matter of geography, but I don't really see anything wrong with calling local villagers natives. Is this Buck McNeely the same guy as Colarado Buck??

Baydog, that is a good point. Here in North Dakota (and most of the U.S.) we refer to the Indigenous peoples as Native Americans. I also think that is the term they prefer and I think it is by far the most respectful.

In my post above, I mentioned the term "locals", we use that term to describe anyone living in any area, regardless of race, creed or religion.

nd

Originally Posted by Baydog

Tom,
Is this Buck McNeely the same guy as Colarado Buck??

Two different people.

The "Native" term does not bother me in the least.

Buck McNeely is a buffoon. His representation of hunters does bother me.

Tom,a thoughtful and caring post,thank you.

As I was taught,a Native is ANY person born in a specified place or,a local inhabitant.I am therefore a Native Rhodesian,now living in Namibia.However,used offensively,which is often the case,a 'Native' refers to a non-white original inhabitant of a country.I have some fine Native friends,white and non-white and,sadly,'Native' is one of the nicer words that people call each other around here on the Dark Continent!

I guess I think of explorers or old hunters from the late 1800s in a pith helmet saying "the natives are restless". Not present day hunters. While I agree everyone is a native of somewhere, it seems cheesy and stupid for present day hunters to say it.

I think there is way too much sensitivity to the matter of labels. I am of German and Irish descent, should I call myself a German-Irish-American? No, I am simply an American. Black Americans want to be called African-Americans, but most are many generations removed from Africa and have never been anywhere near the continent. Mostly what we are talking about here is political correctness which in my opinion sucks.

I guess I'm not explaining myself. I don't think it's racist or pc....I think it's dumb. And I think the person who calls local peoples "natives" is trying to make themselves out to be something of an explorer or tamer of the wild.

Yes, it could be, though I have no idea what Buck has going thru his head as regards how to refer to various peoples. I have never seen his shows so cannot comment on his motivations.

I'm a Scottish,Irish,Rhodesian Namibian but,hey,I'm quite happy with 'Friend'..!

This is gonna hurt, but it is actually better than his show.