Native American reservations explained 

Glad to have this done this much needed reference video for the upcoming USA episode! Have you ever been to a native American reservation? If not, check them out! You can learn so much from them.

In Ireland we remember the substantial donation by the Choctaw tribe to the starving Irish during the great famine in 1847. A monument stands in Co Cork commentating this grateful deed . Always remembered

I currently live on a native American property 55 km or about 35 miles away from Russia. We are closer to Russia than to mainland Alaska. I hesitate to call it a reservation because under Alaskan law, it’s not considered a reservation because it is privately owned by the natives cooperation. I am a teacher on this island.

Since childhood, I've been fascinated by the Native American cultures. Thank you for dedicating a full special to it

Greetings from the Tohono O'odham Nation, number three on your list of largest reservations. Our name means Desert People. The names Arizona and Tucson are derived from our language, Arizona meaning small spring and Tucson meaning black mountain. Thanks for your video.

Many of our states, rivers, and landforms in the US have Native American originated names as well (like Mississippi, Minnesota, Wyoming, Missouri, Connecticut, etc). They named all these areas and the land before the Europeans showed up.

As a law enforcement officer in Oklahoma, in my county, I had to be cross-deputized into three different tribal police forces so that I could respond to calls for service (or backup) in certain areas.

Another important factor of US-Indigenous history to mention is the boarding school system. For around a century, indigenous children were forced to go to boarding schools where the US attempted to forcibly eradicate all aspects of Indigenous cultures. There was a lot of abuse and neglect, a lot of kids died. This era is why so many languages have so few speakers and also why so many Indigenous communities struggle with inter generational trauma

I'd love to see videos like this for indigenous / ethnic minority populations in other countries like Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Russia, China, etc!

As a Native American, I'm glad someone is teaching others what we live on now.

Adding on to the language section, there’s been attempts to revive critically endangered native languages. Jessie Little Doe Baird is a Wampanoag linguist who has been reviving the Wampanoag language since the 90’s, and it’s seen some steady success.

I've always seen these across my google maps procrastination sessions and never really understood how the whole system worked, thank for explaining it so clearly. Can't wait for the US episode!! ❤❤

I lived and worked in the Chickasaw Nation for years. During the initial covid times, the casino I worked at had to close for almost two months. In spite of them being closed, they didn’t lay anybody off and I kept still got paid, including getting 80% of what the average tip pool was. Consider my hourly pay was almost entirely consumed by taxes, tips were almost my entire income.

Native Americans are really missunderstood people and im happy you're making a video about this

The Hopi trying to reclaim land from the Navajo Reservation has been a long legal battle for over half a century now, so I'm glad it got mentioned. And interestingly the ancient Apache-Navajo started their migration from Upper White River region of Alaska following a volcanic eruption from Mount Churchill.

Also often overlooked in American history are the monuments left by ancient native Americans eg. Cahokia mounds, the snake mound in Ohio, Pueblo houses in SW etc.

Honestly I would've appreciated a full episode on this. Native American culture is diverse and frankly quite a bit more ancient than the USA itself. As it's not as mainstream, I really would like to know as much as possible, but the book recommendation was nice as well:)

I served in the Marines with a lot of Native Americans, and they were some of the best guys. All had crazy stories, could give/take a joke, and were completely open to any and all questions we had about their cultures and perspectives of the world.

Also, the Inuit languages are often seen on signs in Nunavut, Canada. The letters and symbols are really cool looking

Along with Kachina dolls being originally Hopi, dream catchers were siouan, and totem poles were only constructed north of Washington on the coast. Both despite their being sold across different areas disregarding where they originate

As a fellow Californian, I'm surprised you didn't mentioned the mission system. yeah, it was under the Spanish (and later Mexican) government, but it still had HUGE impact: many Californian tribes aren't federally recognized, and many Californians actually protested when father Junipero was sainted! the history of native suffering under the mission is a big, sad part of our state history!

Hope they can preserve their culture

In Hawaii we grew up learning about hawaiian history from ancient native hawaiian society and culture through hawaii's take over to now.. comparing that to where I live now in Pennsylvania, where I'm told at least the history of the lenape and Delaware weren't taught, it makes me proud to have been a local, which is what we called people from Hawaii who weren't native hawaiian :)

Hey Barby, my name is Hayden Rodriguez and I just wanna sy thank you for taking the time to make this video and educating more people about the indigenous peoples of the US. I would really like to see a series where you cover maybe not every reservation but a few major reservations individually.

As a member of the Mescelaro Apache and Toas Pueblo people, I want to thank you for doing a great job on accurately portraying the reservations. I have been keeping up with your channel for some time now and am so glad this episode was made. Keep up the good work and it would be and honor if you came and visited the Toas Pueblo, the oldest inhabited area in North America.

Just letting future generations know that Geography Now reached the US and made a Reservations Video BEFORE CGP Grey released part 1 of his Reservations Series. Part 0 is been around for 3 years!

i specialised in north american ("native") cultures in my cultural anthropology bachelor (minor) and there is so much to learn and so many stories and histories to tell, it's truly incredible and interesting!

Unfortunate that you didn’t address why most reservations are full of poverty. For example, since the land is federal, people in the reservations cannot purchase land and thus build wealth to pass down to their children.

Having visited the Navajo Nation in my trip to the US (I'm from Australia) last year I fully agree with his assessment of how good fry-bread tastes. I'm visiting Canada later this year and looking forward to having it again there. Interesting re the languages with their own writing scripts. I did the Navajo tree (more like a bush) on Duolingo during a lockdown in 2020 and was pleased to have a crack at speaking (mainly just 'hello' and 'thank you') when I was on the Reservations last year. But to discover that not all of the Native American languages (in the US - Í'm aware that the Inuit in Canada have their own script) use the Latin script was interesting.

4:06 Fun fact, Native tribes can establish casinos on their reservations even when casinos are illegal in the state that the reservation is surrounded by, e.g. Texas. The only casinos in Texas are on Native reservations.

Nice quick explanation. Knowing Better made a video some time ago, that goes into way more detail why this system is such a clusterfuck at times.

I’m in education, which has recently privileged me to attend a meeting w Gilbert Whiteduck and members of the Mohawk, Algonquin, and Schenectady tribes. We participated in a smudging ceremony with a fire fanned by an eagles feather and passed a talking stick around to talk about our lives, our ideas for education, or our relation to native life. The whole thing was rather eye opening. The teacher I work with presented a project we’re doing in which students from a upper-middle class elementary school collaborated with a nearby indigenous elementary school in creating a song together. The kids played, did activities, had lunch together, and took time to write lyrics in groups. The lyrics spoke of the tragedies of the past while also speaking about a brighter future once we sort the information. The meeting confirmed to me that we can teach the future generations the truth in what happened and other sensitive topics without making anyone feel bad or uncomfortable! The truth may be ugly but it’s the only thing that will set us free from it

When Geography Now gets to the reservations before CPG Grey does

When you get bored you should do something like this for Mexico and Canada

Thank you for this episode! Happy you visited my reservation. Sending good thoughts from Navajoland

Imagine how surreal it feels to live in your land, foreign power comes in with new technology and you are designated to live in special reservations

2:01 One note is that there wasn’t an “ice bridge” connecting Asia and North America at the end of the Ice Age (Pleistocene Epoch), but a land bridge that different animals migrated across. This landmass connected both continents because of the lowering of sea level that was caused by glaciers and ice sheets all across the world during that time.

Here in Brasiil "indigenous" is usually the most accepted term

I like your attitude: Ask. Don't assume you already know or that one answer fits all. And don't assume that one person speaks for everybody.

As someone who loves the show Yellowstone, (who treats the Natives with such respect), I’m so happy you made this!

Most white Americans, "I'm part Cherokee"

Love them Native Americans. From Ukraine 🇺🇦

This is the thing I'm most excited for in the USA episode! I'm a history nerd in addition to being a geography nerd, so the major well-known US history kind of bores me just because I've studied it so much in school. I love learning about the cultures of the Indigenous population of different countries, so I'm super excited to learn more

Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t the word Indian derived from the fact they where looking to reach India or the indies by sailing west instead east. Thus landing on the American continent and naming the indigenous people Indians because they where under the impression to have hit India / the indies.

1:43 Archaeologists held on to the 10,000 years ago Beringia theory for the arrival of the first Americans for a long time, but there's now convincing evidence that people lived at sites like Monte Verde in Chile and Meadowcroft Rock Shelter in Pennsylvania closer to 20,000 years ago and likely long before then. Linguists noted a long time ago that 10k years wasn't a realistic time frame to develop the extreme linguistic diversity of the continents from a single migratory group. The RU-vid channel Ancient Americas has a fantastic video about it and other indigenous history topics.

Sorry, Just FYI for anyone interested... I am Northwest Florida Mvskoke (Muscogee Creek), which is not on your map. During the Indian Removal act the mvskoke from as far away as "Little Tallasee" (near present-day Montgomery, Alabama) Joined with the Tribe in Pensacola, Florida where they remained with a group led by Osceola drawing the federal troops away from them down into the everglades and taking the name "Seminole". A lot happened between then and the 1940's and 1950's to try and become recognized, and finely in 1974, the State of Florida created the Northwest Florida Creek Indian Council under Florida Statute 285 to deal with Creek Indian issues, and in 1986 a treaty was finally signed and the Senate and the House of Representatives for the State of Florida passed concurrent Resolutions that recognized us as a tribe. Our land is not a reservation however, it is called "Tribal Land" and is composed of large areas of land privately purchased and shared among the tribe.

I appreciate the care you took in creating this!

This was incredible work. The perspectives felt balanced and it was well researched. I enjoy this level of work

thanks for actually visiting the reservations for the video barbs, mad respects.

Miigwech for making this video!! I think it's really important to acknowledge that not all indigenous tribes were the same or even symbiotic in any way. A lot of people have this weird idea that all native peoples have one look and one combined story. My dad is Dakota and my mom is Ojibwe. They were married for 20 years and even they couldn't get along lmao (it's funny because haha enemy tribes) If you like frybread and are ever up north, you should try to find some bannock bread. It's bigger, thinner, and I think it's baked? It's not the same of even comparable to frybread, but it's really good and deserves a try! Sidenote: In some areas that are surrounded by reservations, you can find some signs written in different indigenous languages. I live in MN and a lot of our welcome or restroom signs are written in English and Ojibwe.

I've never seen your videos before but you sold me with this one. Very informative I loved it

Thanks a lot for covering this !! 👏🏻

You could do a whole episode just on the Native Californians, 'cause that's a whole 'nother ballgame. There are multiple dozens of tribes and sub-tribes. I live in the area of the Chumash people, whose language family is believed to be even older than the ones you mentioned, making them among the oldest inhabitants of the region.

So hyped for the USA episode!!

Thanks for including the Pacific in this great explanation video! ❤

Duuude! Awesome knowledge here. I had a brainstorming with my friend about this topic last year (I was f curious about it) and here we are! Thanks, awesome video.

Awesome, man. I’m not indigenous, but I’ve always been interested in these groups. Glad you’ve covered this.

One of the craziest thing I learned about one tribe the Seminole Tribe of Florida is that they own the hard rock cafe brand.

Thanks for the information, I understand there is so much more. The entire history of the Native Americans is complicated.

After more than half a decade of waiting, the USA episode is around the block :) Massive respect for you doing this series. I really wonder what will happen after Zimbabwe.

You don't have to rush, slow down take a deep breath and exhale, and start over

I've been longing to visit a reservation for a long time! Thanks for the cool info

Great personality and storytelling that made this video interesting and easy to both watch and follow. Cheers! More power to ya 💕

Thank you for this great video. Nicely explained!

You've done what CGP Grey started but couldn't finish. Well done Barbs 👏

Can’t wait for the Indigenous Australians episode! Lots of history and geography to cover.

You know that we still need informative books about Native/indigenous Americans, which can answer questions like the ones you answered here. You gave a very good stream of tangible information. I want to hear more about all aspects of Native American history, culture, language, and life. That book you recommended would clearly be a good start.

So much incredible information. Thank you.

I have heard about reservations for Native Americans in America. Good that you explained. 👍. There are Navajo and Mohawk tribes. Any country having a tribe is best. In my country India there are lots of tribes but there is no reservation land for them. Tribals in India are found in all parts. But in your country USA there are specific locations for tribals.

Love this video. I am part Native American from the Gros Ventre tribe (yes I know the translation of the name from French and they did name it). Our reservation is in Montana however it’s technically not our homeland. Our homeland is in present day Canada and when the border was established in the 1800s the Americans wouldn’t let us cross back into Canada

im excited for the us episode, it’s gonna be awesome 👍

One of your VERY BEST. Thank YOU !!!!

At this point every other educational youtuber is going to cover the reservations before CGP Grey lol

Great video! I have always been curious as to how tribal lands operate.

This may be your best one! I learned a lot! I love geography that's why i love you! But this one taught me! Thanks!

I’m a gen z Native American and I personally hate the term indigenous because it sounds so close to indigent (poor; needy). Native American is fine but I tend to say Indian more because it doesn’t take as long to say 😂

Hey, Geography Now, have you read the book 1491 about the pre-columbian americas, I'm almost finished with it and it's really good. Among many things, it talks about how the pre-columbian americas were actually descently densely populated, and a lot more densely populated than most people picture them or what is generally taught in schools.

I really like the video. Very cool. I am very interested in all your information and how much you covered. I look forward to check out more. Thank you

thank you for the rundown King 🙏

Thanks for the overview. I would suggest a deeper dive into some of the nations, but the selection process would take decades, no? PS. Like so many Usonians, even those of us with immigrant backgrounds, I have a story: my father was born in Comanche County on a reservation in a house built by members of the Kiowa nation. His father was in the US Army there. Like everything else with the People of the Land, it's a nuanced and difficult history.

If you think about it, the UK’s equivalent of Indigenous reservations are the countries of Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland 😅 (& unofficially Cornwall)

Interesting content as always.

Brilliant video, thanks!

6:13 Salish is pronounced SAY-lish, not sah-LEASH

Thank you so much for recognizing my tribe, the Lumbee, on your map❤we often get overlooked bc of the whole state vs federal recognition issue.

Wow i really respect that you have the awareness to do this

An Amazing Video as Usual :))

My great grandmother's family was forced on the Trail of Tears. Most of her relatives left for Oklahoma prior to that because they could see the writing on the wall and knew it was coming. My grandfather was the first one in his family born off the reservation since the tribe was forcibly removed. I get emails from the tribe every so often inquiring if I'd like to move onto the tribal lands. I plan to visit one day, but actually moving there is probably something I will not do. I've taken my son to see different Indian ruins in Arizona north of Flagstaff, and we spent time on the Apache reservation near Sedona. I plan to take him to see the Navajo nation in the next year or two. There's so many things to see and the history is vast. The central and south American tribes, their art, and history has always fascinated me. One day I'll make plans to visit the ancient ruins there too.

Amazing video!

Awesome💚Thank you for the message! *acknowledgment by the Hopi Enjoying your Vlogs 😊

It'd be interesting if you could cover state-recognized tribes & nations, plus their reservations. For example, the Lumbee of North Carolina

Born on Pine Ridge rez here. Gotta say you're intro is pretty solid. For sure we perfer to be referred to by tribal lines. As far as the other terms go, I myself perfer American Indian. Mostly due to AIM (American Indian Movement) in the 60s and 70's

Pretty good summary - thanks for the good effort.

Excellent episode and very thorough too! 🙏🌎💫

Thanks for the useful info! Although there is apparently no official Native land in Virginia, there are still regions that hold many descendants from the same tribe, such as the Monacan tribe around Amherst. I used to deliver newspapers there, and on the few occasions that we met, they were always very nice to me.

I follow the RU-vid channel "Navajo Traditional Teachings" hosted by Navajo historian Wally Brown. It's a fascinating channel that seeks to preserve the oral traditions of the Navajo people. Highly recommend to anyone who is curious! (FYI, according to Mr. Brown, the Navajo came from the East, not the North; it's something he's very insistent on 😂)

Hesci estvnko Barbs! Thank you for making this video! As a Mvskoke man I appreciate seeing my fellow Native peoples getting recognition

Very well done. I’m Comanche and this topic is complex…I did enjoy your video and thought you did a very good job. Thank you for this video.

That must have been very hard to put together. ♥🇦🇺

The stories behind the current state of the Seminole and Comanche tribes have always been the most fascinating to me despite being polar opposites. The Seminole tribe has land in Florida and Oklahoma to accommodate the people who were forced out of Florida with the trail of tears and those who retreated to the everglades and were never removed. The Seminoles also own the Hard Rock franchise so anytime you go to a Hard Rock hotel, casino, or restaurant anywhere in the world you're doing business with the Seminole tribe. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Comanche tribe. The Comanche's history was that of horseback nomads and raiders in the Texas/Oklahoma border region and after being defeated and forced onto a reservation they had trouble adapting to the new way of life as all they had known was a nomadic and raider lifestyle where many of the tribes in the region would just take whatever they needed from each other. When they attempted to return to this way of life they were beaten into submission once more, had their reservation seized by the government, and were forced to move into what is now the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache reservation. The half white Quanah Parker, last chief of the Comanche tribe, became a wealthy rancher and his house is still standing on the reservation where it is known as the "Star House" due to the ten white stars painted on the roof to symbolize his status as war chief and therefore outranking any US general.