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In a show of great sportsmanship, the Irish team gave their World Games spot to the Iroquois. Now, the Iroquois have their sights set on the Olympics.

All eyes are on the upcoming lacrosse championship at the 2022 World Games where the best teams from all over the world will compete against each other. But one of the best lacrosse teams in the world was almost left out of the games - and that exclusion could also keep them out of the Olympics.

The Iroquois Nationals' finished in third place at the world championship, which should have qualified them for a spot among the eight teams chosen to head to the World Games. But the International World Games Association (IWGA) initially deemed the team ineligible because the Iroquois Nation isn't recognized as a sovereign state and has no Olympic committee.

According to CNN, public pushback compelled the IWGA to reverse its decision, allowing the Iroquois Nationals to compete on the condition that they secure a spot among the eight teams that had already been filled.

Ireland's national lacrosse team withdrew from the World Games to offer their spot to the Iroquois instead. Ireland had finished 12th in the world championship.

"We are a proud member of World Lacrosse and we recognize the importance of The World Games to the continued growth of our sport," read a statement from Michael Kennedy, chief executive officer of Ireland Lacrosse.

To @IrelandLacrosse,

You have gone above and beyond not only for us, but for what you believe is right.
Your actions have spoken louder than words showing everyone the true power of sport, and the spirit of lacrosse.

We will never forget that.
I dteannta a chéile#TogetherAsOne pic.twitter.com/qmDSYauaM5

- IROQUOIS NATIONALS LACROSSE (@IRQ_Nationals) September 3, 2020

"As much as our players would have been honored to compete, we know the right thing is for the Iroquois Nationals to represent our sport on this international stage."

Thanks to Ireland's great sportsmanship, the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team will be competing in the upcoming 2022 World Games set to take place in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Iroquois Nationals called Ireland Lacrosse's actions "the true power of sport" and "the spirit of lacrosse."

"You have gone above and beyond not only for us but for what you believe is right," the Iroquois Nationals tweeted to Ireland Lacrosse. "We will never forget that."

The Iroquois - who call themselves the Haudenosaunee - is a confederacy made up of six Native American tribes that live around the eastern border between the U.S. and Canada. The Iroquois Confederacy formed hundreds of years ago as a way to solidify support between the tribes. It encompasses the Onondaga, Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca, and Tuscarora tribes.

The Iroquois Nationals represent the confederacy in international lacrosse competitions. They are the only Native American team authorized to play a sport internationally.

Additionally, it is believed that lacrosse was invented by the Iroquois tribes as long as 1,000 years ago. According to native beliefs, lacrosse was originally a competition played between land and winged animals long before humans existed. Today, they still view the sport as a gift from the Creator.

"That stick represents everything from the earth that grows," said Rex Lyons, a former lacrosse player and the son of 90-year-old Onondaga faith keeper Oren Lyons.

"The netting is representative of the deer, the leader of animals from all five continents. The weave in the netting, the connecting of all those hoops, that's the clans, the families all connected together. And the ball, of course, is the medicine."

The Iroquois call lacrosse the medicine game and will often arrange lacrosse games when a member of the tribe is in need. When the game concludes, they give the deerskin ball to the person they played for.

Despite the deep cultural significance the game has to the Iroquois, their struggle to play on the International stage is far from over. Lacrosse hasn't been played as an Olympic medal sport since 1908, but in 2018 the International Olympic Committee took steps toward bringing the sport back to the games in 2028.

Since the World Games and Olympic Games follow similar criteria of inclusion, the Iroquois Nationals' spot in the World Games is an important first step for the people who invented the game to one day play it on the athletic world's biggest stage.

Despite the hurdles, the Iroquois have produced some of the top lacrosse teams in the world.

"There is no other sport like this in the world, with an origin story of a game shared with the world by an Indigenous group, and that group not only still competes today but does so as one of the very best teams out there," said Steve Stenersen, the CEO of USA Lacrosse and a vice president of World Lacrosse. "What they have done is beyond remarkable."
Next, read about the little-known history of voter suppression experienced by Native Americans throughout U.S. history and take a look at 33 stunning photographs of Native American masks brought to life through colorization.

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The Iroquois Are Fighting For A Spot At The Olympics To Play Lacrosse - A Sport They Invented

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All eyes are on the upcoming lacrosse championship at the 2022 World Games where the best teams from all over the world will compete against each other. But one of the best lacrosse teams in the world was almost left out of the games - and that exclusion could also keep them out of the Olympics.

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What is the Amazon rainforest?

The Amazon rainforest is sometimes described as "the lungs of the planet". It's the largest wet tropical forest in the world, and it's split over 8 different countries in South America. 60% of it is in Brazil, but it's also partially in Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela, to name a few.

From the ground, it's a huge expanse of densely-packed trees, its layers upon layers of greenery teeming with animal life.

But people do live in the Amazon rainforest. No matter how harsh the terrain or dangerous the predators, there are many tribes that thrive in their small communities. Lots of these tribes are being threatened by the deforestation and destruction of the Amazon.

Keep reading to learn a whole host of rainforest tribe facts, including more about their way of life and what threatens them in the modern day.

How many rainforest tribes are there in the Amazon?

About 400 to 500 tribes live inside the Amazon Rainforest. Around 50 of them are not in contact with the outside world - their children don't go to schools as we know them, and they don't have the electricity or amenities that we expect in everyday life here.

Nevertheless, they exist within the rainforest and manage to live sustainably without damaging the land.

Each tribe is unique, with their own different cultural traditions that they have preserved through the generations. Some have frequent interactions with the world outside the rainforest, while others are almost completely isolated.

The Dangers to Amazon Tribes

Colonisation

European settlers first arrived in the Americas (or the 'New World') in the 15th century. These settlers brought with them diseases that had never been present in the region before. Millions of indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest and outside it died from things like the flu, smallpox, and so on.

Colonisation did not stop with the conquistadors. It continues to the present day, just in a different form.

In the Amazon rainforest today, there are many land grabbers. These are people who try to settle in the lands where tribal people live, even though it's illegal. They bring with them illnesses such as malaria which can be fatal to the indigenous people, and are willing to use violence to take their land from them.

Deforestation

By 2001, the Amazon rainforest covered 54 million square kilometres. This is a huge area, but did you know that it's only 87% of what it originally covered? This shrinkage can have a devastating effect on the local environment as well as the climate of the world.

Most of the deforestation occurred in Brazil, as the country expanded its cattle ranching and farming operations.

To find out more about deforestation, click here.

5 Rainforest Tribe Facts

1. In areas where the rainforest tribes have been able to stay in their land and maintain it, deforestation has been prevented. Scientists refer to the indigenous people who live in the rainforest as 'the most important barrier to Amazon deforestation'.

2. About half of the indigenous tribes who live in the Amazon are located in Brazil, even though the rainforest spans eight countries.

3. Humans first settled in the Amazon rainforest over ten thousand years ago. Even though the European settlers who came to South America saw only the wilderness, the indigenous people were already domesticating the forest to suit their needs.

4. One of the smallest indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest are the Akuntsu. As of 2016, there were just 4 people left, with the rest of their tribe having been killed by loggers and ranchers.

5. In total, there are over a million indigenous people living in the Amazon rainforest.

The Yanomami People in the Amazon Rainforest

One of the most well-known groups of indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest is the Yanomami tribe. They are the largest isolated tribal group, with around 38,000 members still living within the rainforest.

Some people in this tribe have little to no contact with the world outside the rainforest.

Let's find out more about this cultural group, including their traditions and the problems that they face.

Where are they located?

The Yanomami People are located in northern Brazil and southern Venezuela, up in the mountainous highlands of the rainforest.

They've lived in the area for centuries, dating back before the conquistadors came to South America during the 17th century. Because they were so difficult to access, they avoided the devastating effects that colonisation had on many other tribes.

The Brazilian government officially granted them 94,000 square miles of territory in 1991. This is an area larger than Scotland!

The Yanomami Rainforest Tribe Facts

The Yanomami have no chiefs, unlike many other tribes in the region. This is because they place a great deal of importance on equality.

Their houses are very large, circular buildings with no coverings over the central areas. These can fit as many as 400 people inside. Families have their own space for sleeping and cooking inside the covered section. They're known as 'yanos' or 'shabonos'.

While there's no need for many layers of clothing in such a hot climate, people in this tribe often use flowers, feathers, and pieces of bone as personal decoration.

Threats to the Yanomami Tribe

Yanomami lands were threatened first in the 1970s, when a road was built leading to their lands. This was used during the 1980s during a gold rush. Tens of thousands of gold miners and prospectors flocked to the area after discovering that there was gold to be found in the hills.

These miners brought diseases to the area, and the Yanomami were severely affected by them because they had no natural immunity. 20% of the Yanomami died in only 7 years.

The Venezuelan government failed to protect their lands from miners. Even though they recognise that these lands are important to the Yanomami, they're still threatened by people from the outside trying to take resources from the landscape. This leads to the land being ravaged and the water poisoned.

More Tribes in the Amazon Rainforest - Facts for Kids

The Tupi

Before colonisation, the Tupi were one of the largest tribes of indigenous people in Brazil. Like many other groups, they have been affected by enslavement and diseases like smallpox brought about by European settlers.

One interesting fact is that in the year 1500, before the Portuguese arrived in the country, their population was around 1 million. That's about the same as the population of Portugal at that time!

The Tupinambá are one of the few remaining communities who have had their ancestral lands officially recognised by the Brazilian government. They're located in the state of Bahia.

The Kayapo

The Kayapo are another tribe of indigenous people who live in the Brazilian parts of the Amazon rainforest. They can be found along the Xingu River.

One unique cultural tradition is that they use intricate black body paint to help them blend into their surroundings when hunting in the rainforest. On the lowest layers of the rainforest, not much light breaks through the canopy, so this helps to keep them safe.

The main threat to the survival of the Kayapo people are hydroelectric dams. There are several of these dams which have been built along the river, including the Belo Monte Dam - the fourth largest in the world.

At present, their population is about 9,000.

The Awá

An example of a much smaller rainforest tribe are the Awá people. They live in the eastern Amazon rainforest. There's approximately 350 members in this tribe at present, and 100 of them are uncontacted.

Because of colonisation in the area during the 18th century, they were forced to adopt a nomadic lifestyle, even though they originally lived in larger settlements. In the present, it is said that some illegal logging companies have hired gunmen so that they can exploit this part of the rainforest.

Uncontacted tribes like the Awá are much more vulnerable to diseases than other people, especially those that they have not encountered before.

Why is it important to learn facts about the rainforest tribes?

The treatment of indigenous people all across the globe is a very important social issue.

Threats to the indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest are often linked with issues of deforestation. Their homes are being destroyed, and the land that they use to sustain themselves is being used for mining, logging, or farming. The land is left barren after the trees have been cut down.

Consider that each unique tribe has their own traditions. They might have their own effective medicines made from plants only found in one tiny part of the rainforest, and if those are damaged, the world might lose this knowledge forever.

You might want to become an advocate, speaking up about all the reasons that tearing down the rainforest for grazing land or resources is a bad idea. In which case, discussing the human cost of deforestation is a good idea!

It's also important to reflect on the fact that the Amazon tribes live respectfully in the rainforest. Their lifestyles are environmentally-friendly and do not harm the land which they depend on to survive. We can consider them guardians of the rainforest.

More Resources about Rainforest Tribes

Looking to help children learn more fantastic rainforest tribe facts and expand their knowledge of world cultures? We have a variety of informative learning and teaching materials that you can use in your lesson plans.

To get you started, try out some of these fantastic resources:

You might also be interested in learning more about the rainforest itself. If so, take a look at the video below!

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Rainforest Tribes Facts - People in the Amazon Rainforest

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The Amazon rainforest is sometimes described as "the lungs of the planet". It's the largest wet tropical forest in the world, and it's split over 8 different countries in South America. 60% of it is in Brazil, but it's also partially in Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela, to name a few.

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Dogsledding is a method of winter travel developed by northern Indigenous peoples. Early European explorers and trappers adopted it as the most efficient way to haul goods across snow-covered terrain. Teams of two to 12 or more dogs are commonly tied in pairs to a single towline, or gangline. The gangline is attached to a sled, and the dogs pull the sled across the snow. When crossing trackless terrain in deep snow, dogs may be placed in single file between two towlines to follow the driver, who breaks a narrow trail in snowshoes. In the Arctic where the snow is packed hard, Inuit often use the "fan hitch" where each dog is attached to the sled by its own towline.

Formation

The first one or two dogs on a gangline are the leaders and guide the team. The "point dogs," the first pair behind the leaders, encourage the leaders forward and are often leaders-in-training. The "wheel dogs," the last pair of dogs immediately in front of the sled, are usually the strongest dogs and keep the sled on track. The dogs between the point and wheel dogs are the "swing dogs" and keep the team on the trail when rounding.

The leaders are controlled by voice commands from the driver, who either rides the rear of the sled or walks ahead, or runs behind. Early French Canadian drivers called "Marche!" to spur their teams. English explorers misinterpreted this as "mush" - henceforth drivers were called "mushers."

Types of Sleds

Sleds vary with the people who make them and the snow conditions. In the Arctic the Inuit developed the heavy "qamutik," designed to carry loads over rough terrain. Farther south, people made the flat-bottomed toboggan to haul loads through deep snow. Europeans modified these designs and developed the basket sled with its load raised off the snow and supported by two narrow runners for hauling over packed trails. Modern dog-sled drivers have shortened and modified the basket sled for racing.

Types of Dogs

Sled dog breeds were originally developed by northern Indigenous people thousands of years ago. Wolves were domesticated to help with hunting and their progeny were bred to develop dogs that could haul loads, either in packs on their backs or by pulling a sled. The Mahlemut people of northwest Alaska developed one of the earliest breeds that have survived to this day, the Alaskan Malamute, a large dog with a heavy coat of fur and powerful legs. The Inuit in northern Canada developed the Canadian Inuit (Eskimo) Dog, smaller than the malamute, but built for hauling heavy loads over hard-packed snow. Today, both of these breeds are registered purebreds with the Canadian Kennel Club.

During the fur trade and the gold rushes of the 19th and early 20th centuries in northwest Canada and Alaska, dogs were brought (often stolen) from the south to supply the demand for freighting dogs. Some of the bigger dogs were bred with malamutes and other Indigenous sled dogs to produce the mixed-breed Mackenzie River Husky, a large freighting dog with heavy fur and long powerful legs for pulling through deep snow.

When dogsled races became popular in the 20th century, dogs were bred more for speed than freighting abilities. The purebred Siberian Husky was imported from Russia because of its smaller size and speed as a racing dog. It was crossed with other breeds of racing dogs, such as greyhounds, to develop the mixed-breed Alaskan Husky. Some Alaskans are bred for all-out speed in sprint races, others to endure multi-day, long-distance races.

Dog Races

Although the airplane, automobile and snowmobile have largely replaced the traditional roles of dog teams, dogsledding has become a popular winter sport. Sled dog enthusiasts train teams for a variety of activities from touring wilderness areas to racing for fun and cash prizes. Races are held across Canada, often in association with winter carnivals. Some are short distance races or sprints, where speed is the key to winning. Others are endurance races covering many hundreds of kilometres and several days of travel. The most famous endurance race in Canada is the Yukon Quest, which runs each year between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. The race is 1,600 km long, taking 10 to 14 days to complete, depending on trail and weather conditions. In Alaska, the Iditarod dogsled race covers a similar distance between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. Races also occur in many countries around the world, including the northern United States, Greenland, France, Norway and Russia.

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Dogsledding is a method of winter travel developed by northern Indigenous peoples. Early European explorers and trappers adopted it as the most efficient way to haul goods across snow-covered terrain. Teams of two to 12 or more dogs are commonly tied in pairs to a single towline, or gangline.

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Canadian Inuit dogs, an ancient breed with incredible wilderness skills | The Kid Should See This

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Canadian Inuit dogs, one of 12 distinct breeds known as sled dogs: The strongest teams can pull well over a ton in weight. The fastest can sustain a pace

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Kids learn about Native American Indian Inuit Peoples. Their history, language, clothing, food, homes, fun facts, and government.

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Indigenous peoples, also known in some regions as First peoples, First Nations, Aboriginal peoples or Native peoples, or autochthonous peoples, are ethnic groups who are the original or earliest known inhabitants of an area, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied or colonized the area more recently.

Groups are usually described as indigenous when they maintain traditions or other aspects of an early culture that is associated with a given region. Not all indigenous peoples share this characteristic, as many have adopted substantial elements of a colonizing culture, such as dress, religion or language. Indigenous peoples may be settled in a given region (sedentary) or exhibit a nomadic lifestyle across a large territory, but they are generally historically associated with a specific territory on which they depend. Indigenous societies are found in every inhabited climate zone and continent of the world except Antarctica.

Very often, indigenous people were forced into slavery or badly treated by settlers and immigrants. Indigenous people were oppressed in colonial times. Colonial settlers often robbed the indigenous treasures and lands. Indigenous people were often made slaves, or killed by colonial settlers.

Colonialism often wanted indigenous people to believe that they were lower social class than the new settlers. Indigenous people sometimes have to fight for their own land, their own history, human rights and equality.

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is celebrated on 9 August each year.

Indigenous peoples by region

Indigenous populations are distributed in regions throughout the globe. The numbers, condition and experience of indigenous groups may vary widely within a given region. A comprehensive survey is further complicated by sometimes contentious membership and identification.

In the post-colonial period, the concept of specific indigenous peoples within the African continent has gained wider acceptance, although not without controversy. The highly diverse and numerous ethnic groups that comprise most modern, independent African states contain within them various peoples whose situation, cultures and pastoralist or hunter-gatherer lifestyles are generally marginalized and set apart from the dominant political and economic structures of the nation. Since the late 20th century these peoples have increasingly sought recognition of their rights as distinct indigenous peoples, in both national and international contexts.

Though the vast majority of African peoples are indigenous in the sense that they originate from that continent, in practice, identity as an indigenous people per the modern definition is more restrictive, and certainly not every African ethnic group claims identification under these terms. Groups and communities who do claim this recognition are those who, by a variety of historical and environmental circumstances, have been placed outside of the dominant state systems, and whose traditional practices and land claims often come into conflict with the objectives and policies implemented by governments, companies and surrounding dominant societies.

Indigenous peoples of the American continent are broadly recognized as being those groups and their descendants who inhabited the region before the arrival of European colonizers and settlers (i.e., Pre-Columbian). Indigenous peoples who maintain, or seek to maintain, traditional ways of life are found from the high Arctic north to the southern extremities of Tierra del Fuego.

The impact of European colonization of the Americas on the indigenous communities has been in general quite severe, with many authorities estimating ranges of significant population decline primarily due to disease but also violence. The extent of this impact is the subject of much continuing debate. Several peoples shortly thereafter became extinct, or very nearly so.

All nations in North and South America have populations of indigenous peoples within their borders. In some countries (particularly in Latin American), indigenous peoples form a sizable component of the overall national population - in Bolivia they account for an estimated 56-70% of the total nation, and at least half of the population in Guatemala and the Andean and Amazonian nations of Peru. In English, indigenous peoples are collectively referred to by different names that vary by region and include such ethnonyms as Native Americans, Amerindians, and American Indians. In Spanish or Portuguese speaking countries one finds the use of terms such as pueblos indígenas, amerindios, povos nativos, povos indígenas, and, in Peru, Comunidades Nativas (Native Communities), particularly among Amazonian societies like the Urarina and Matsés. In Chile there are indigenous peoples like the Mapuches in the Center-South and the Aymaras in the North; also the Rapa Nui indigenous to Easter Island are a Polynesian people.

In Brazil, the Portuguese term índio is used by most of the population, the media, the indigenous peoples themselves and even the government (FUNAI is an acronym for the Fundação Nacional do Índio), although its Hispanic equivalent indio is widely considered not politically correct and is falling into disuse.

Indigenous peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and " Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada. According to the 2016 Census, there are around 1 670 000 Aboriginal people. There are currently over 600 recognized First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada with distinctive Aboriginal cultures, languages, art, and music. National Aboriginal Day recognizes the cultures and contributions of Aboriginals to the history of Canada

The Inuit have achieved a degree of administrative autonomy with the creation in 1999 of the territories of Nunavik (in Northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (in Northern Labrador) and Nunavut, which was until 1999 a part of the Northwest Territories.

The autonomous Danish territory of Greenland is also home to a majority population of Inuit (about 85%) who settled the area in the 13th century, displacing the indigenous Dorset people and Greenlandic Norse.

In the United States, the combined populations of Native Americans, Inuit and other indigenous designations totaled 2,786,652 (constituting about 1.5% of 2003 U.S. census figures). Some 563 scheduled tribes are recognized at the federal level, and a number of others recognized at the state level.

In Mexico, approximately 6,000,000 (constituting about 6.7% of 2005 Mexican census figures) identify as Indígenas (Spanish for natives or indigenous peoples). In the southern states of Chiapas, Yucatán and Oaxaca they constitute 26.1%, 33.5% and 35.3%, respectively, of the population. In these states several conflicts and episodes of civil war have been conducted, in which the situation and participation of indigenous societies were notable factors (see for example EZLN).

The Amerindians make up 0.4% of all Brazilian population, or about 700,000 people. Indigenous peoples are found in the entire territory of Brazil, although the majority of them live in Indian reservations in the North and Center-Western part of the country. On 18 January 2007, FUNAI reported that it had confirmed the presence of 67 different uncontacted peoples in Brazil, up from 40 in 2005. With this addition Brazil has now overtaken the island of New Guinea as the country having the largest number of uncontacted peoples.

The vast regions of Asia contain the majority of the world's present-day indigenous populations, about 70% according to IWGIA figures.

Western Asia

The Armenians are the indigenous people of the Armenian Highlands. There are currently more Armenians living outside their ancestral homeland because of the events of 1915.

The Yazidis are indigenous to the Sinjar mountain range in northern Iraq. The Yazidis are ethnically Kurd but are a religious minority of the Kurdish people. The Kurds, as a whole, are one of the indigenous peoples of Mesopotamia (south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Syria, northern Iraq, north-western Iran and parts Armenia).

The Assyrians are indigenous to northern Iraq, southeastern and central Turkey, the fringes of northwestern Iran and northeastern Syria. They claim descent from the ancient Neo-Assyrian Empire, and lived in what was Assyria, their original homeland, and still speak dialects of Aramaic, the official language of the Assyrian Empire.

The most substantial populations of indigenous people are in India, which constitutionally recognizes a range of "Scheduled Tribes" within its borders. These various people number about 200 million. But these terms "indigenous people" and "tribal people" are different.

There are also indigenous people residing in the hills of Northern, North-eastern and Southern India like the Tamils (of Tamil Nadu), Shina, Kalasha, Khowar, Burusho, Balti, Wakhi, Domaki, Nuristani, Kohistani, Bakkarwal, Meenas, Ladakhi, Lepcha, Bhutia (of Sikkim), Naga (of Nagaland), indigenous Assamese communities, Mizo (of Mizoram), Tripuri (Tripura), Adi and Nyishi (Arunachal Pradesh), Kodava (of Kodagu), Toda, Kurumba, Kota (of the Nilgiris), Irulas and others.

India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean are also home to several indigenous groups such as the Andamanese of Strait Island, the Jarawas of Middle Andaman and South Andaman Islands, the Onge of Little Anadaman Island and the uncontacted Sentinelese of North Sentinel Island. They are registered and protected by the Indian government.

In Sri Lanka, the indigenous Veddah people constitute a small minority of the population today.

The Russians invaded Siberia and conquered the indigenous people in the 17th-18th centuries.

Nivkh people are an ethnic group indigenous to Sakhalin, having a few speakers of the Nivkh language, but their fisher culture has been endangered due to the development of oil field of Sakhalin from 1990s.

The Russian government recognizes only 40 ethnic groups as indigenous peoples, even though there are other 30 groups to be counted as such. The reason of nonrecognition is the size of the population and relatively late advent to their current regions, thus indigenous peoples in Russia should be numbered less than 50,000 people.

Ainu people are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin. As Japanese settlement expanded, the Ainu were pushed northward and fought against the Japanese in Shakushain's Revolt and Menashi-Kunashir Rebellion, until by the Meiji period they were confined by the government to a small area in Hokkaidō, in a manner similar to the placing of Native Americans on reservations.

The Dzungar Oirats are indigenous to the Dzungaria in Northern Xinjiang.

The Pamiris are indigenous to the Tashkurgan in Xinjiang.

The Tibetans are indigenous to Tibet.

The Ryukyuan people are indigenous to the Ryukyu Islands.

The languages of Taiwanese aborigines have significance in historical linguistics, since in all likelihood Taiwan was the place of origin of the entire Austronesian language family, which spread across Oceania..

Southeast Asia

The Malay Singaporeans are the indigenous people of Singapore, inhabiting it since the Austronesian migration. They have established Kingdom of Singapura back in the 13th century. The name Singapore itself comes from the Malay word Singapura (Singa=Lion, Pura=City) which means the Lion City.

The Cham are the indigenous people of the former state of Champa which was conquered by Vietnam in the Cham-Vietnamese wars during Nam tiến. The Cham in Vietnam are only recognized as a minority, and not as an indigenous people by the Vietnamese government despite being indigenous to the region.

The Degar (Montagnards) are indigenous to Central Highlands (Vietnam) and were conquered by the Vietnamese in the Nam tiến.

The Khmer Krom are the indigenous people of the Mekong Delta and Saigon which were acquired by Vietnam from Cambodian King Chey Chettha II in exchange for a Vietnamese princess.

In Indonesia, there are 50 to 70 million people who classify as indigenous peoples. However, the Indonesian government does not recognize the existence of indigenous peoples, classifying every Native Indonesian ethnic group as "indigenous" despite the clear cultural distinctions of certain groups. This problem is shared by many other countries in the ASEAN region.

In the Philippines, there are 135 ethno-linguistic groups, majority of which are considered as indigenous peoples by mainstream indigenous ethnic groups in the country. The indigenous people of Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley in the Philippines are the Igorot people. The indigenous peoples of Mindanao are the Lumad peoples and the Moro (Tausug, Maguindanao Maranao and others) who also live in the Sulu archipelago. There are also others sets of indigenous peoples in Palawan, Mindoro, Visayas, and the rest central and south Luzon. The country has one of the largest indigenous peoples population in the world.

In Myanmar indigenous peoples include the Shan, the Karen, the Rakhine, the Karenni, the Chin, the Kachin and the Mon. However, there are more ethnic groups that are considered indigenous, for example, the Akha, the Lisu, the Lahu or the Mru, among others.

In Europe, the majority of ethnic groups are indigenous to the region in the sense of having occupied it for several centuries or millennia. Present-day indigenous populations as recognized by the UN definition, however, are relatively few, and mainly confined to its north and far east.

Notable minority of indigenous populations in Europe which are recognized include Finno-Ugric Nenets, Samoyed and Komi peoples of northern Russia, and the Circassians of southern Russia and the North Caucasus as well as Sámi of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. That area is also referred as Sápmi.

In Australia the indigenous populations are the Aboriginal Australian peoples, within which are many different nations and tribes, and the Torres Strait Islander peoples, also with sub-groups. These groups are often together spoken of as Indigenous Australians.

Many of the present-day Pacific Island nations in the Oceania region were originally populated by Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian peoples over the course of thousands of years. European colonial expansion in the Pacific brought many of these under non-indigenous administration. During the 20th century several of these former colonies gained independence and nation-states were formed under local control. However, various peoples have put forward claims for indigenous recognition where their islands are still under external administration; examples include the Chamorros of Guam and the Northern Marianas, and the Marshallese of the Marshall Islands.

The remains of at least 25 miniature humans, who lived between 1,000 and 3,000 years ago, were recently found on the islands of Palau in Micronesia.

In most parts of Oceania, indigenous peoples outnumber the descendants of colonists. Exceptions include Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. According to the 2013 census, New Zealand Maori make up 14.9% of the population of New Zealand, with less than half (46.5%) of all Maori residents identifying solely as Maori. The Maori are indigenous to Polynesia and settled New Zealand relatively recently, the migrations were thought to have occurred in the 13th century CE. In New Zealand pre-contact Maori peoples were not a single people, thus the more recent grouping into tribal (iwi) arrangements has become a more formal arrangement in more recent times. Many Maori national leaders signed a treaty with the British, the Treaty of Waitangi, which formed the modern geo-political entity that is New Zealand.

A majority of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) population is indigenous, with more than 700 different nationalities recognized out of a total population of 8 million. The country's Constitution and key statutes identify traditional or custom-based practices and land tenure, and explicitly set out to promote the viability of these traditional societies within the modern state. However, conflicts and disputes concerning land use and resource rights continue between indigenous groups, the government, and corporate entities.

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Indigenous peoples, also known in some regions as First peoples, First Nations, Aboriginal peoples or Native peoples, or autochthonous peoples, are ethnic groups who are the original or earliest known inhabitants of an area, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied or colonized the area more recently.

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Native America
Explore the rise of great American nations, from monarchies to democracies. Investigate lost cities in Mexico, a temple in Peru, a potlatch ceremony in the Pacific Northwest and a tapestry of shell beads in upstate New York whose story inspired our own democracy.

Aired: 10/30/18

Expires: 09/28/21

Rating: TV-PG

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Native America Explore the rise of great American nations, from monarchies to democracies. Investigate lost cities in Mexico, a temple in Peru, a potlatch ceremony in the Pacific Northwest and a tapestry of shell beads in upstate New York whose story inspired our own democracy. Aired: 10/30/18 Expires: 09/28/21 Rating: TV-PG Problems Playing Video?

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https://www.ducksters.com/history/native_americans.php

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Kids learn about the history of Native American Indians in the United States. Educational articles for teachers, students, and schools including Native American daily life, homes, art, food, clothing, people, social structure, religion, and tribes.

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LeAndra Nephin is a member of the Omaha (pronounced Umoⁿhoⁿ) tribe from Nebraska

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LeAndra Nephin is a member of the Omaha (pronounced Umoⁿhoⁿ) tribe from Nebraska

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z36rvwx

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However, LeAndra highlights that this isn't every Native American's view of Thanksgiving: "There are Native Americans who do use that time to get together with family, and there's this kind of decolonialisation that some do... They'll look at doing traditional Indigenous foods, so food that they may have grown or harvested, and will generally use that time to buy specifically from Native American owned businesses, or to celebrate Native American people."

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the US, and so some Native Americans take the opportunity to travel and visit family, or attend powwows. Others like to focus on the hospitality that the Native Americans provided, even if it wasn't later returned, or the idea of being thankful. Thankfulness already has huge importance in Native American festivals, such as the Green Corn Ceremony, an ancient celebration of the corn harvest in late July or early August, with a focus on renewal.

In a Native American tribe, wealth and honour are measured by how much you give back to the community, rather than how much you are able to obtain.

LeAndra explains that there's no judgement in how different Indigenous people approach Thanksgiving, it's just an example of diversity among Native Americans. She adds: "November is Native American Heritage Month and throughout the month Natives will post photos or information to highlight the beauty of our culture."

The day after Thanksgiving, well-known as Black Friday, is also National American Indian Heritage Day.

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However, LeAndra highlights that this isn't every Native American's view of Thanksgiving: "There are Native Americans who do use that time to get together with family, and there's this kind of decolonialisation that some do...

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A friend of Ms. Clarkson!

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ANNA TSOUHLARAKIS is a Native American artist of Navajo, Creek, and Greek descent who works primarily with installation, video, and performance art. Her work has been described as breaking stereotypes surrounding Native Americans and provoking thought, rather than focusing solely on aesthetics. Tsouhlarakis wants to redefine what Native American Art means and its many possibilities. She received her BA from Dartmouth College with degrees in Native American Studies and Studio Art. She went on to receive her MFA from Yale University in Sculpture.

Her work has been part of national and international exhibitions at venues such as Rush Arts in New York, the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Crystal Bridges Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, the Heard Museum, and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. Tsouhlarakis has participated in various art residencies including Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Yaddo, and was the Andrew W. Mellon Artist-in-Residence at Colorado College for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Tsouhlarakis lives and works in Colorado with her husband and three children.

The videos below were recorded via Zoom, are organized by Success Factor, and run between 30 seconds and 6 minutes. Click on any video. You must be connected to the Internet to view the videos.
EXPOSURE TO BROAD INFLUENCES: 3:07 min. INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 1:18 min. CREATES A UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND: 2:56 min. SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES: 2:30 min. INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 4:15 min. COMMUNITY VALUES: 3:19 min. VALUES FIRST-RATE EDUCATION: 2:42 min. SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES: 2:10 min. SELF-CONFIDENCE: 1:43 min. SERENDIPITY: 1:35 min. COMMUNITY VALUES: 6:05 min. SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES: 3:27 min. COMMUNITY VALUES: 1:15 min. INSIGHT & INSPIRATION: 0:49 sec.
What's your favorite movie?

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Anna Tsouhlarakis: Artist-in-Residence at the Fountainhead Residency

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ANNA TSOUHLARAKIS is a Native American artist of Navajo, Creek, and Greek descent who works primarily with installation, video, and performance art. Her work has been described as breaking stereotypes surrounding Native Americans and provoking thought, rather than focusing solely on aesthetics. Tsouhlarakis wants to redefine what Native American Art means and its many possibilities.

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https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/history/native-americans/

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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The importance of preserving indigenous languages

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The importance of preserving indigenous languages

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The meaning of the word indigenous (from the Canadian perspective)

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The meaning of the word indigenous (from the Canadian perspective)

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The word Indigenous — explained l CBC Kids News

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Cherokee Singer | Native American Culture | PBS LearningMedia

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Cherokee singer Paula Nelson performs a learning song that teaches a greeting and farewell in Cherokee and then asks the audience to sing with her in a call and response conversation. In the second part of the segment, Nelson says that the Cherokee people are a "water people" and performs a song called "It's Going to Rain."

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Music of Native American cultures in Santa Fe

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Music of Native American cultures in Santa Fe

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Explore the music and dance sequences of 11 cultural groups who have settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico over the past 700 years. These diverse communities include the Native Americans, Spanish, Mexicans, Crypto-Jewish, Celtic, German, Greek, Japanese, Tibetan, Sikh and the Central Americans. All performers and narrators in these segments are of school-age.

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Explore the cultural stories featured in Native America through animation.

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Shared beliefs of Native American Peoples

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Shared beliefs of Native American Peoples

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Extended Interviews | Native America | PBS

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Extended Interviews | Native America | PBS

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Selected extended interviews from experts featured in Native America.

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Preview video for "Native America" on PBS

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Preview video for "Native America" on PBS

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Extended Trailer | Native America: A Documentary Exploring the World of America’s First Peoples

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JavaScript required

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To find some recommended software (a web browser), see our community section on Problems.

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Craft in America Navajo Weaver and Storyteller 

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Craft in America Navajo Weaver and Storyteller 

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Sustainable Development Goals and Indigenous Peoples

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Sustainable Development Goals and Indigenous Peoples

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Video to check out

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Map of indigenous peoples in the Americas

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Map of indigenous peoples in the Americas

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Mapping

We strive to map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world in a way that goes beyond colonial ways of thinking in order to better represent how Indigenous people want to see themselves.

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Native Land is a resource to learn more about Indigenous territories, languages, lands, and ways of life. We welcome you to our site.

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Taíno Indians, a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (a group of American Indians in northeastern South America), inhabited the Greater Antilles (comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], and Puerto Rico) in the Caribbean Sea at the time when Christopher Columbus' arrived to the New World.

The Taíno culture impressed both the Spanish (who observed it) and modern sociologists. The Arawakan achievements included construction of ceremonial ball parks whose boundaries were marked by upright stone dolmens, development of a universal language, and creation of a complicated religious cosmology. There was a hierarchy of deities who inhabited the sky; Yocahu was the supreme Creator. Another god, Jurakán, was perpetually angry and ruled the power of the hurricane. Other mythological figures were the gods Zemi and Maboya. The zemis, a god of both sexes, were represented by icons in the form of human and animal figures, and collars made of wood, stone, bones, and human remains. Taíno Indians believed that being in the good graces of their zemis protected them from disease, hurricanes, or disaster in war. They therefore served cassava (manioc) bread as well as beverages and tobacco to their zemis as propitiatory offerings. Maboyas, on the other hand, was a nocturnal deity who destroyed the crops and was feared by all the natives, to the extent that elaborate sacrifices were offered to placate him.

Myths and traditions were perpetuated through ceremonial dances ( areytos), drumbeats, oral traditions, and a ceremonial ball game played between opposing teams (of 10 to 30 players per team) with a rubber ball; winning this game was thought to bring a good harvest and strong, healthy children.

The Taíno Indians lived in theocratic kingdoms and had a hierarchically arranged chiefs or caciques. The Taínos were divided in three social classes: the naborias (work class), the nitaínos or sub-chiefs and noblemen which includes the bohiques or priests and medicine men and the caciques or chiefs, each village or yucayeque had one.

At the time Juan Ponce de León took possession of the Island, there were about twenty villages or yucayeques, Cacique Agüeybana, was chief of the Taínos. He lived at Guánica, the largest Indian village in the island, on the Guayanilla River. The rank of each cacique apparently was established along democratic lines; his importance in the tribe being determined by the size of his clan, rather than its war-making strength. There was no aristocracy of lineage, nor were their titles other than those given to individuals to distinguish their services to the clan. Both men and women were eligible to serve as chiefs. Individuals traced their descent through their mothers, and goods, class status and the office of chief were also inherited matrilineally.

Polygamy was practiced. Men, and sometimes women, might have several spouses. A few caciques had as many as 30 wives, in most instances they were the only ones who could afford it.

Their complexion were bronze-colored, average stature, dark, flowing, coarse hair, and large and slightly oblique dark eyes. Men generally went naked or wore a breech cloth, called nagua, single women wore headbands and walked around naked and married women an apron to cover their genitals, made of cotton or palm fibers. The length of which was a sign of rank. Both sexes painted themselves on special occasions; they wore earrings, nose rings, and necklaces, which were sometimes made of gold. Taíno crafts were few; some pottery and baskets were made, and stone, marble and wood were worked skillfully.

Skilled at agriculture and hunting, Taínos were also good sailors, fishermen, canoe makers, and navigators. Their main crops were cassava, garlic, potatoes, yautías, mamey, guava, and anón. They had no calendar or writing system, and could count only up to twenty, using their hands and feet. Their personal possessions consisted of dujo or dujo wooden stools with four legs and carved backs, hammocks made of cotton cloth or string for sleeping, clay and wooden bowls for mixing and serving food, calabashes or gourds for drinking water and bailing out boats, and their most prized possessions, large dugout canoes, for transportation, fishing, and water sports.

Caciques lived in larger and rectangular huts, called caneyes, located in the center of the village facing the batey. The naborias lived in round huts, called bohios. The construction of both types of building was the same: wooden frames, topped by straw, with dirt floors, no partitions between families and scant interior furnishing. Buildings were strong enough to resist hurricanes. Its believed that Taíno settlements ranged from single families to groups of 3,000 people. Several related families lived together in the same house.

About 100 years before the Spanish invasion, the Taínos were challenged by an invading South American tribe - the Caribs . Fierce, warlike, sadistic, and adept at using poison-tipped arrows, they raided Taíno settlements for slaves (especially females) and bodies for the completion of their rites of cannibalism. Some ethnologists argue that the preeminence of the Taínos, shaken by the attacks of the Caribs, was already jeopardized by the time of the Spanish occupation. In fact, it was Caribs who fought the most effectively against the Europeans, their behavior probably led the Europeans to unfairly attribute warlike tendencies to all of the island's tribes. A dynamic tension between the Taínos and the Caribs certainly existed when the Christopher Columbus landed on Puerto Rico.

When the Spanish settlers first came in 1508, since there is no reliable documentation, anthropologists estimate their numbers to have been between 20,000 and 50,000, but maltreatment, disease, flight, and unsuccessful rebellion had diminished their number to 4,000 by 1515; in 1544 a bishop counted only 60, but these too were soon lost.

At their arrival the Spaniards expected the Taíno Indians to acknowledge the sovereignty of the king of Spain by payment of gold tribute, to work and supply provisions of food and to observe Christian ways. The Taínos rebelled most notably in 1511, when several caciques (Indian leaders) conspired to oust the Spaniards. They were joined in this uprising by their traditional enemies, the Caribs. Their weapons, however, were no match against Spanish horses and firearms and the revolt was soon ended brutally by the Spanish forces of Governor Juan Ponce de León.

In order to understand Puerto Rico's prehistoric era, it is important to know that the Taínos, far more than the Caribs, contributed greatly to the everyday life and language that evolved during the Spanish occupation. Taíno place names are still used for such towns as Utuado, Mayagüez, Caguas, and Humacao, among others.

Many Taíno implements and techniques were copied directly by the Europeans, including the bohío (straw hut) and the hamaca (hammock), the musical instrument known as the maracas, and the method of making cassava bread. Many Taino words persist in the Puerto Rican vocabulary of today. Names of plants, trees and fruits includes: maní, leren, ají, yuca, mamey, pajuil, pitajaya, cupey, tabonuco and ceiba. Names of fish, animals and birds includes: mucaro, guaraguao, iguana, cobo, carey, jicotea, guabina, manati, buruquena and juey. As well as other objects and instruments: güiro, bohío, batey, caney, hamaca, nasa, petate, coy, barbacoa, batea, cabuya, casabe and canoa. Other words were passed not only into Spanish, but also into English, such as huracan (hurricane) and hamaca (hammock). Also, many Taíno superstitions and legends were adopted and adapted by the Spanish and still influence the Puerto Rican imagination.

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Taíno Indians, a subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (a group of American Indians in northeastern South America), inhabited the Greater Antilles (comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], and Puerto Rico) in the Caribbean Sea at the time when Christopher Columbus' arrived to the New World.

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Information about the Maya

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Today, more than seven million Maya live in their original homelands of Mesoamerica and in countries all over the world. Two thousand years ago, the ancient Maya developed one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas. They developed a written language of hieroglyphs and invented the mathematical concept of zero. With their expertise in astronomy and mathematics, the Maya developed a complex and accurate calendar system. Hundreds of restored ancient cities with temple-pyramids, palaces, ball courts, and grand plazas are studied by archaeologists, and are visited by millions of tourists from all over the world each year. Contemporary Maya live and work near many of these archaeological sites. Language, tradition, and a deep sensibility toward the land and the sky continue to shape their worldview. The Maya are guardians of their culture and actively work to rediscover their own past as they look towards the future.

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Today, more than seven million Maya live in their original homelands of Mesoamerica and in countries all over the world. Two thousand years ago, the ancient Maya developed one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas. They developed a written language of hieroglyphs and invented the mathematical concept of zero.

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Frequently asked questions about the culture of the Cherokee Nation

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Cherokee Nation Frequently Asked Questions

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Marriage licenses can be obtained by tribal citizens through the Cherokee Nation court, where there is also a list maintained of those who are licensed to perform weddings under Cherokee Nation law. The type of ceremony is up to the couple, although traditional weddings are more appropriate for couples who follow traditional Cherokee practices.

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This "Facts for Kids" section was designed to provide simple online information about Native Americans in an easy-to-read question and answer format.

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Welcome to the Piscataway Conoy Tribe Website

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United Nations explanation of meaning of "Indigenous Peoples"

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United Nations explanation of meaning of "Indigenous Peoples"

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Look at introduction and section on "Culture and Knowledge"