Portal:Indigenous peoples of the Americas/Intro: Difference between revisions

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Autosomal genetic tree of indigenous peoples of the Americas, by language group, showing common ancestry

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South, and Central America, and their descendants. Pueblos indígenas (indigenous peoples) is a common term in Spanish-speaking countries. Aborigen (aboriginal/native) is used in Argentina, whereas "Amerindian" is used in Guyana but not commonly in other countries. Indigenous peoples are commonly known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, which include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Indigenous peoples of the United States are commonly known as Native Americans or American Indians, and Alaska Natives.

According to the prevailing New World migration model, migrations of humans from Eurasia to the Americas took place via Beringia, a land bridge which connected the two continents across what is now the Bering Strait. The majority of authorities agree that the earliest migration via Beringia took place at least 13,500 years ago, These early Paleo-Indians spread throughout the Americas, diversifying into many hundreds of culturally distinct nations and tribes. According to the oral histories of many of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, they have been living there since their genesis, described by a wide range of traditional creation accounts.

Many parts of the Americas are still populated by indigenous Americans; some countries have sizable populations, especially Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Greenland, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. At least a thousand different indigenous languages are spoken in the Americas. Some, such as Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní, Mayan languages, and Nahuatl, count their speakers in millions. Many also maintain aspects of indigenous cultural practices to varying degrees, including religion, social organization, and subsistence practices. Like most cultures, over time, cultures specific to many Indigenous peoples have evolved to incorporate traditional aspects, but also cater to modern needs. Some indigenous peoples still live in relative isolation from Western society, and a few are still counted as uncontacted peoples. (Full article...)

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-[[File:Journal.pgen.0030185.g008.png|thumb|right|300px|[[Autosomal]] [[Phylogenetic tree|genetic tree]] of indigenous peoples of the Americas, by language group, showing common ancestry]]
+[[File:Journal.pgen.0030185.g008.png|right|300px|[[Autosomal]] [[Phylogenetic tree|genetic tree]] of indigenous peoples of the Americas, by language group, showing common ancestry]]
-[[File:Percentage of Amerindian Population.png|thumb|300px|left|Map showing percentages of indigenous population in the nations of the Americas.]]
+[[File:Percentage of Amerindian Population.png|300px|left|Map showing percentages of indigenous population in the nations of the Americas.]]
 The '''[[indigenous peoples of the Americas]]''' are the [[pre-Columbian]] inhabitants of [[North America|North]] and [[Indigenous people of South America|South]], and [[Central America]], and their descendants. ''Pueblos indígenas'' (indigenous peoples) is a common term in [[Spanish-speaking countries]]. ''Aborigen'' (aboriginal/native) is used in [[Argentina]], whereas "[[Amerindian]]" is used in [[Guyana]] but not commonly in other countries. Indigenous peoples are commonly known in [[Canada]] as [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|Aboriginal peoples]], which include [[First Nations]], [[Inuit]], and [[Métis people (Canada)|Métis]] peoples. Indigenous peoples of the United States are commonly known as [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] or American Indians, and [[Alaska Natives]].