Before the Age of Exploration, most of the world was made up of hunter-gatherer tribes, with civilization only existing in Europe, North Africa, and Asia. Today, there are still uncontacted tribes living in isolated areas such as the Amazon, New Guinea, and a small island in the Bay of Bengal. These tribes lead Stone Age […]
The Padaung Hill Tribe, also known as Kayan, wear brass rings around their necks, arms, and legs as a cultural expression and ethnic identity. The rings do not actually stretch their necks but deform their collarbones. Many Kayans have fled to Thailand due to political unrest, but the Thai government is reluctant to let them […]
The Catawba Indian Nation, also known as Iyeye or Nieye, was once a powerful tribe in North and South Carolina. They merged with other tribes and suffered from diseases and wars, reducing their population. Today, they number around 2,600, with some living in Oklahoma and Colorado. They received recognition from the US government in 1993. […]
The Paiute Tribe is made up of three groups of Native Americans who originated in the Western US and speak Numic languages. The Northern Paiute inhabited the Great Basin, while the Southern Paiute occupied parts of Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. The Owens Valley Paiute is another group included in the Paiute tribe. The […]
The Oneida Tribe is a Native American group with members in Wisconsin, Canada, and the northwestern US. They have a family and political structure similar to the Mohawks, with three clans and a role for women in leadership. They were one of the founding tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy and supported the Americans in the […]
The Choctaw Tribe is an indigenous American Indian nation of the southeastern region of the United States. They are related to the Muskogean family and relied on agriculture and hunting for survival. The origin of their name is uncertain. Religious beliefs and practices play an important role in their culture, including the myth of emergence. […]
The Nez Perce tribe, also known as Nimi’ipuu, live on a reservation in Idaho and have a history of migration and conflict with the US government. They have a proud tradition of horse riding and breeding, which was revived in the 1990s with the creation of the Nez Perce horse. The Nez Perce are a […]
The Hualapai Tribe, related to other Pai Indian groups, traditionally inhabited the lower Colorado River Valley. They were forcibly relocated but allowed to return home and established a reservation in 1883. They lived in wickiups and farmed, hunted, and gathered wild plants. Today, they make a living primarily from tourism, offering attractions such as a […]
The Narragansett tribe has existed in Rhode Island since 28,000 BC, living as hunters and fishermen. The tribe’s population was diminished by events such as the Great Swamp Massacre, but they continue to exist as a recognized tribe in the US. The tribe was incorporated in 1934 and received federal recognition in 1983, with a […]
The Pawnee tribe, one of the most powerful Native American tribes, lived in fixed villages and farmed along the Platte River. They were reduced in number due to disease, warfare, and relocation. Today, the Pawnee Nation is located in Oklahoma and owns several casinos, a college, and a development corporation. The Pawnee tribe are a […]
The Fox Tribe originally lived in eastern Michigan, but migrated due to conflicts with the French and the US Army. They are now found in Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. They were a migratory farming tribe and skilled craftsmen and warriors. They fought with the Huron tribe and eventually joined the Sauk Tribe. They were […]
The Kickapoo tribe originated in northwestern Ohio and southern Michigan, but migrated south and west due to conflicts with European settlers. They were skilled farmers, hunters, and riders, and organized into patrilineal clans. They traded with other tribes and modified their dress accordingly. The Kickapoo were hostile towards Europeans, but eventually allied with the French […]
The Chickasaw Tribe is one of the Five Civilized Tribes and is located in Oklahoma. They were fierce fighters and had a trading network stretching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. They migrated from Alabama and signed a treaty with the Confederacy during the US Civil War. They formed their own government […]
The Muckleshoot tribe, descendants of various northwestern North American aboriginal groups, reside on the Muckleshoot Reservation in Washington state. They are the largest Aboriginal group in the state and govern themselves through a council. They refer to themselves as the Salmon People and depend on salmon for their culture. The tribe built a casino in […]
The Menominee tribe is a Native American tribe from Wisconsin and Michigan. They were hunter-gatherers who built canoes and lived in huts during the summer and wigwams during the winter. They were involved in the fur trade and eventually ended up in the lumber business. They successfully sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs for mismanaging […]
The Hopi Tribe is a Native American nation in Arizona, part of the Pueblo civilization. They have occupied the same area since at least the 12th century and retain traditional language and cultural traits. The tribe derives significant income from coal mining of its ancestral lands and is governed by a tribal council. They have […]
The Winnebago Tribe is a Native American tribe with traditional lands in Wisconsin and a reservation in Nebraska. They have a distinct artistry and language, and are divided into two phratries with 12 clans each. Their religion centers around a creator god and five mythological characters. The tribe has faced forced displacement and smallpox epidemics, […]
The Colville tribe were nomads who lived in eastern Washington, and were named after Fort Colville where they traded. They were affected by Europeans and forced onto reservations, including the Colville Indian Reservation. Today, the reservation is less than half its original size and the tribe operates wood product manufacturing and a fish hatchery. The […]
The Navajo tribe is the second largest Native American tribe in the US, with its own governing body managing the Four Corners reservation. Their history is largely oral, and they have their own language and matrilocal system. The traditional dwelling is the hogan, and they have faced conflicts with the US government, leading to ongoing […]
The Onondaga Tribe is part of the Iroquois Confederacy and occupies their traditional homeland in upstate New York. They sided with the British during the American Revolution and some migrated to Canada. They signed a treaty with the US in 1974 and are now a sovereign nation. They finance public works through tax-free tobacco sales […]
