[College Girl]

Where did the term 'Indian Giver' orginate?

User Detail :  

Name : College Girl, Gender : F, City : Vermillion, State : SD Country : United States, 

[Jim]

'Indian giver' originated in 1865, to the Native Americans, gifts were a form of trade goods, of exchange. One didn't give a gift without expecting one in return. If one could not give a gift of equal value in return, the orginal gift would be refused or returned.

User Detail :  

Name : Jim, City : W, State : TN Country : United States, 

[CJ31956]

My guess is that the term 'Indian Giver' came out of the many instances of the US government and other colonial entities making deals with the Native Americans and then reneging on them.

User Detail :  

Name : CJ31956, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 41, City : Plainfield, State : NJ Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Bill23068]

the term 'indian gver' is used when you give something to someone and then take it back. it is a racist term as far as i'm concerned. i had a native friend a few years back who told me this. the terms 'low man on the totem pole' and 'squaw' (which means whore or bitch) are also used to much in this society. this must stop.

User Detail :  

Name : Bill23068, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 31, City : ft dodge, State : IA Country : United States, Occupation : college student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Tom]

I found this explanation & it sounds reasonable to me. There are two popular etymologies for this term for a person who gives a gift only to later demand its return. The first is that it is based on an unfair stereotype of Native Americans, that they don't keep their word. In the other popular explanation, the term doesn't cast aspersions on Native Americans, instead it echoes the broken promises the whites made to the Indians. Neither is accurate, although the first is closer to the truth. Instead the term comes from different commercial practices. To the Native Americans, who had no concept of money or currency, gifts were a form of trade goods, of exchange. One didn't give a gift without expecting one of equivalent value in return. If one could not offer an equivalent return gift, the original gift would be refused or returned. To the Europeans, who with their monetary-based trade practices, this seemed low and insulting, gifts were not for trade but were to be freely given. The noun Indian gift dates to 1765. Indian giver follows about a century later in 1865. Originally, these reflected simply the expectation of a return gift. By the 1890s, the sense had shifted to mean one who demands a gift back.

User Detail :  

Name : Tom, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 40, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Computer guy, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ron-V]

Where did the term Indian giver originate? Try reading http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/meanings/202850.html

User Detail :  

Name : Ron-V, City : Edmonton, State : NA Country : Canada, 

[WayneC]

I believe it might actually refer to White or US policy of 'giving' something to Native Americans and then taking it back. Most people think it is from some conception of Native Americans doing this to Whites, but when this term really got started Whites were doing all of both the giving and taking. Remember, the US gov't has never fully honored any treaty it has made with any Indian Nation (Native American Nation). Unless they did so recently.

User Detail :  

Name : WayneC, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 42, City : Parsippany, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : marketing, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Dominique]

Im no historian, but lets try this: the term probably came from racist Europeans who robbed North America from Native Americans (Indians). I suppose the Europeans gave them this term when they found they couldnt take this land without a fight.

User Detail :  

Name : Dominique, Gender : F, Age : 20, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Scientist, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower class, 

[Sebastian]

Many tribes of First Nations (the 'Indians') believed that wealth was not meant to be hoarded, as they were communal. So some of these societies would have special celebrations, where those who were rich would give away everything to everybody, to distribute the wealth. The Europeans, neeedless to say, couldn't understand this, and it went against the system that they believed in, and that they wanted to impose on everyone else. Needless to say that things that were given away could easily end up in the hands of their original owner, because someone else would become too rich. The Europeans capitalized on this, and coined the term 'Indian Giver' from the misunderstanding. In Canada these ceremonies were outright outlawed.

User Detail :  

Name : Sebastian, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 24, City : Montreal, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Nighthawk]

It is my understanding the term came about from the tradition that an Indian is measured by how they share their wealth (property) with other members of their local tribe or village. For instance,if a person was successful hunting, they would give all of the meat to others. Then, the others would be obligated to return at least a portion to the individual. It mostly applied to non-food items, such as something a raiding party may 'acquire' from an enemy camp. A person would give away everything, then some would be returned to him. A wealthy Indian was one who shared the most with others. This was a common tradition among many nations.

User Detail :  

Name : Nighthawk, City : Deer Park, State : WA Country : United States, 

[Dave25984]

Stole this from straightdope.com This whole thing is so ironic it's an instant cure for pernicious anemia. 'Indian' was once used by the white man as an all-purpose adjective signifying 'bogus' or 'false,' owing to the supposedly low morals of the red man. Thus you had 'Indian summer,' false summer late in the year; 'Indian corn' and 'Indian tea,' cheap substitutes for products the original colonists had known back in England; and 'Indian giver,' someone who gives you something and then takes it back. But of course Europeans were the real Indian givers, repeatedly promising the Indians reservations by treaty and then stealing them back once valuable farmland or minerals were found. The term has thus inadvertently become an acid commentary on the character of its inventors. I think it's poetic hope this helps

User Detail :  

Name : Dave25984, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 24, City : Fort Worth, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : U.S. Marine, Education level : Technical School, 

[A-Person]

The term comes from a cultural misunderstanding by the European settlers when they came to North America. Native Americans believe in the concept of letting people borrow when they are in need. Items like land, blankets, etc were given in the spirit of borrowing and when they were not needed anymore they were to be given back. The Europeans mistook this giving as a sign that the item(s) were given to them to keep and not to return. Thus the term for a person giving something and then wanting it back later was born: Indian Giver.

User Detail :  

Name : A-Person, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, 

[Misty]

I just learned of this term in my college history class. Indians gave gifts as a return of a favor or to a good friend, or for various other reasons. They would ask for the gift back if the other person had acted in a dishonorable manner or had done something to disgrace the tribe. It was expected of the giver to ask for the gift back; otherwise, it would seem that he or she approved of the disgraceful act.

User Detail :  

Name : Misty, Gender : F, City : Davison, State : MI Country : United States, 

[JS26993]

It comes from 'Potlatch,' which was an Indian (Native) ceremony peculiar to the West Coast, I believe. There would be a huge party with feasting, etc., and the host would give all his belongings to the people he invited to the party. Parties would be held often, so that the previous host would get some of his stuff back. This was a way of strengthening ties within the tribe. Needless to say, this confused the white man.

User Detail :  

Name : JS26993, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : American Indian, Religion : Native American, Age : 35, City : Vancouver, British Columbia, State : NA Country : Canada, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[James]

Around 1865, it was said that Indians had gift-oriented tribes. By saying so, it meant that when one gift was given to another, a gift of equal value was expected in return. If one could not return a gift, then he was labeled an 'indian giver.'

User Detail :  

Name : James, Gender : M, Race : American Indian, Religion : Native American, Age : 44, City : Wagner, State : SD Country : United States, Occupation : Security Officer, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Author]

Posts