Native American Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

Citations in the Category Native American

Native American. Associated with, special to, or from Native American (Indian) peoples or cultures. You can also see entries assigned to this category.

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in-law chaser n. It was a warm summer day in June, and the sky was clear except for a small group of clouds running across the flatlands away from them, it was a quick moving summer storm. They could see the mist of rain falling to the ground below and yet all around it was clear sky. The Old man said, “There goes an in-law chaser!“ The boy looked and did not know what he was talking about. “There must be someone wanting to visit somebody down there. Those kind of clouds that move fast like that they carry rain and wind.“ [English Environment Native American Relationships Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 25, 2007)

in-law chaser n. Not surprisingly, there are times when it may snow in late April or early May—this in Navajo culture is called an “In-Law Chaser.” Navajo teaching says if an in-law has a weak mind, that individual will state he or she can’t work outside because it’s snowing. Moreover, an in-law may also be afraid to travel when it snows this time of the year. It is therefore, a form of teasing in-laws yet a way of building character. [English Environment Native American Relationships Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 25, 2007)

in-law chaser n. How much snow did you get? I played safe, stayed home in southern AZ. Could say because of the In-law chasers ( cold, wind swept snow, etc). [English Environment Native American Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 25, 2007)

in-law chaser n. Navajo tea/blue corn meal and quiet nights/where is the sage/the mutton stew/in-law chasers/and cool rain. [English Environment Native American Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 25, 2007)

in-law chaser n. Up in G-Vill enjoying the blessing the GODS gave us this year SNOW!!!Hope it ain’t no IN-Law chaser! [English Environment Native American Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 25, 2007)

Injun bank roll n. The dollars he pulled out of his pocket never seemed to diminish what he called his “Injun bank roll,” with its few big bills on the top bolstered by many smaller ones beneath. [English Money & Finance Native American Slang] [full cite] (Apr. 27, 2006)

leather and feather epic n. According to Montgomery, the joke in the native community is that every movie that comes out about Native Americans features roles that are, well, rather predictable. In other words, they might as well be pulled from a decades-old history textbook. “They refer to them as “leather and feather’ epics where they get to grunt and groan,“ Montgomery said with a laugh in a recent phone interview. [English Entertainment Movies Native American] [full cite] (Nov. 30, 2006)

lummi stick n. Youngsters will learn to cook with a stick over an open fire, make a “lummi stick”—a cylindrical percussion instrument—and add a few words to their vocabulary from the WaWa jargon, a pidgin once used by Oregon native Americans, like the Chinook. [English United States Oregon Music Native American] [full cite] (Jun. 14, 2006)

mock-checker n. Noley and Chenault have a name for those who would use spurious ties to tribal heritage to further their employment opportunities. They call them “box-checkers.” According to Chenault, some job candidates simply “check the box” for American Indian/Alaskan Native on job forms, hoping to be identified as minority faculty and thus reap the benefits of any available affirmative action plans.…Far more objectionable than those who simply “check the box” are the “mock checkers,” says Noley. The term refers to those in academic programs who not only falsely claim tribal affiliation but also set themselves up as official purveyors of American Indian culture and religion. [English Native American Derogatory Slang] [full cite] (Jan. 24, 2007)

naxnox n. Some native North American tribes refer to them as naxnox, or supernatural beings, and have encountered them for centuries. Fishermen, loggers, hikers and day trippers claim to have seen them on occasion. We’re talking about Sasquatch, Bigfoot or Wildman. [Canada United States Animals, Insects, & Birds Native American] [full cite] (Apr. 7, 2006)

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