Hello Ham, When in the company of Romans, do as the Romans do. I can't speak for the rest of the states but here in the coastal plains area of North Carolina, they prefer to be called Indians or better yet, by the name of their tribe.

Part of this may stem from people like me that check native american on applications and forms. I am an american and I was born here, ergo, native american. About the only people I have run across that demand to be called native americans are race baiting.

The heritage and ancestory of the american indian is a long and proud one but only in the last few years have they begun to celibrate it. Perhaps with the return of their pride and some of the old ways came the change.
Oh course, the above is only speculation and an expression of MOHO.

Mike