First Nations is a self-descriptive term for the various societies of the indigenous peoples of the world, but usually just the Americas or (as they are known to ecologists) the Nearctic (North American) and Neotropic (South American) zones -- an alternative to Native Americans, also known by some as American Indians, or Aboriginal Americans. These people, having encountered European colonization of the Americas from 1492 to the present day, often cooperate to deal with their common political and cultural concerns in associations such as the Assembly of First Nations of Canada.
In Canada, the term "First Nations" does not include Inuit or Métis peoples; however, they are included in the term "first peoples".
