Portal:Indigenous peoples of North America

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The Indigenous peoples of North America Portal

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Introduction

The term Indigenous peoples of North America encompasses the inhabitants of the North America region before the arrival of the first European explorers in the late 15th century, as well as many present-day ethnic groups who identify themselves with those historical peoples. The precise definition of the term is the topic of the Native American name controversy.

The most commonly preferred term for the indigenous peoples of what is now Canada is Aboriginal peoples. Of these Aboriginal peoples who are not Inuit or Métis, "First Nations" is the most commonly preferred term of self-identification. First Nations peoples make up approximately 3% of the Canadian population. The official term for First Nations people is Indian.

Indigenous peoples in what is now the United States are commonly called "American Indians" but more recently have been referred to as "Native Americans". American Indians make up 2% of the population, with more than 6 million people identifying themselves as Native Americans, although only 1.8 million are registered tribal members. A minority of US Native Americans live on Indian reservations.

The territory of modern-day Mexico was home to numerous indigenous civilizations, among others the Maya in the Yucatán (and into neighbouring areas of contemporary Central America); and the Aztecs, who, from their central capital at Tenochtitlan, dominated much of the centre and south of the country (and the non-Aztec inhabitants of those areas) when Hernán Cortés first landed at Veracruz.

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Selected article

The Duwamish tribe is a Native American tribe in western Washington, and the indigenous people of metropolitan Seattle. The Duwamish tribe today includes the People of the Inside, for Elliott Bay environs today; and the People of the Large Lake, for those around Lake Washington of today. By language, the Duwamish are (Skagit-Nisqually) Lushootseed Salish. In many other ways, they are Coast Salish. Adjacent tribes throughout the Salish Sea watershed were interconnected and interrelated, yet distinct. The people have been living in what is now metropolitan Seattle since the end of the last glacial period (c. 8,000 B.C.E.—10,000 years ago). Among the changes with increasing contact, names changed along with tribal societies. The Duwamish tribe of today continues evolving.

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Selected quote

This war did not spring up on our land, this war was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father who came to take our land without a price, and who, in our land, do a great many evil things... This war has come from robbery - from the stealing of our land.

Spotted Tail(Lakota)
(1833? – 1881)

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Did you know...

...that the typical Frybread was created in the 1800s, when Native Americans were forced onto reservations and, given rations of only flour and lard by the government, fried bread in lard? Depicted: a Creek Indian woman making Frybread.
...that the Gourd Dance is performed to "cleanse" the dance arena prior to a Native American Pow-wow?
...that the vision quest is a rite of passage present in many Native American cultures, like the Lakota and the Comanche?
...that the Cherokee chief Kanagatucko visited London in 1730 and again in 1762, where he met King George III, who was greatly impressed by his dignity?
...that more than one third of the Mexican population (over 30 million individuals) is of Indigenous origin, making it the country with the largest Amerindian community in all the Americas?
...that the Shawnee chief Tecumseh is greatly revered in Canada, and is ranked #37 in The Greatest Canadian list, above other names like Avril Lavigne (ranked #40) and Leonard Cohen (#46)?
...that at old age, the famous Lakota chief Sitting Bull toured with Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show, where he was a popular attraction, and often asked to address the audience, he frequently cursed them in his native Lakota language to the wild applause of his listeners?

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Things you can do

Help out by participating in the Indigenous peoples of North America Wikiprojector join the discussion.
Announcements and open tasks

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→ The Portal for Indigenous peoples of North America has been created. You can help to maintain it and update its contents by submitting Selected Article, Biography, Picture, Quote and Did you know... candidates.

→ The new assessing system for articles within the Project's scope is already functional. We are currently migrating the assessments made under the old system - You can help!

→ A new and comprehensive To Do list is needed. We are working on a new system (list of wanted articles, needed tasks, reviews, etc) - You can help!

Help reach FA status: Comanche • Cherokee • Duwamish (tribe)
Review and assess: Shawnee • Ute Tribe • Chief Leschi • William McIntosh • Osceola • Madame Montour • Shikellamy • Town Creek Indian Mound
De-stub: Cayuse • Cheyenne War • Ho-Chunk • Jicarilla Apache • Riel Rebellion • Wappo • Wintu
Create: Tutchone • Aztec currency • Klamath Indian War • More...
Meta-tasks:
- Help assess status of articles covered by this project
- Add to the list of articles that should be covered by this project.
- Place the {{NorthAmNative}} template on the talk page of articles within the scope of this project.

Feel free to edit this list or discuss these tasks.

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Related WikiProjects

WikiProject Indigenous peoples of North America

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News

July 10, 2007 - New Mississippi Choctaw chief takes office... (IndianZ.com) More...

June 29, 2007 - First Nations across Canada take part in the Aboriginal Day of Protest. (CBC News) More...

June 29, 2007 - Oglala Sioux Tribe puts an end to alcohol blockade... (IndianZ.com) More...

June 18, 2007 - Public debate held between Cherokee candidates... (Cherokee Phoenix) More...

June 14, 2007 - Federal court won't halt Cherokee election... (IndianZ.com) More...

June 14, 2007 - Run-off set for Mississippi Choctaw chief... (IndianZ.com) More...

June 14, 2007 - BIA approves land-into-trust for Shakopee Tribe... (IndianZ.com) More...

June 13, 2007 - Pomo sites placed on National Trust endangered list... (IndianZ.com) More...

June 7, 2007 - The state of New York to appeal Oneida land claim decision... (IndianZ.com) More... Depicted: official flag of the Oneida Nation.

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Selected biography

Cochise (A-da-tli-chi = "hardwood", also Cheis) (c. 1815–June 8, 1874) was a chief (a nantan) of the Chokonen ("central" or "real" Chiricahua) band of the Chiricahua Apache and the leader of an uprising that began in 1861. Cochise was one of the most famous Apache leaders (along with Geronimo) to resist intrusions by Mexicans and Americans during the 19th century. He was described as a large man (for the time), with a muscular frame, classical features, and long black hair which he wore in traditional Apache style. Cochise and the Chokonen-Chiricahua lived in the area that is now the northern Mexican region of Sonora, and New Mexico, Arizona, and which were traditional Apache territories until the coming of the Europeans. edit