Ariel and Julian discuss Native American diversity in this episode of Indigeneity. Native Americans are often presented in the mainstream media as a homogenous group. In fact, American Indians and Alaska Natives today represent an incredibly diverse array of over 500 tribes whose members speak over 150 different languages and practice wide-ranging cultures. Native American tribes differ in citizen members from over 300,000 to less than 10. We live in every state, and more of us live in cities than tribal reservations or villages.

American Indian and Alaska Native identity is much more complex than thinking of us in terms of genetic ancestry, race or ethnicity. In addition to sharing statistics, this episode explains what it means for American Indian and Alaska Native tribes to be “federally recognized.” Julian explains how the federal recognition process upholds tribes’ sovereign rights as nations to govern over their peoples and territories and self-determine their futures.