NATIONS
– This signifies larger groups often united by common languages, cultural practices, and histories. In Indigenous contexts, a nation might encompass several tribes with shared cultural heritage or historical ties, managing its internal affairs and maintaining relationships with other nations and entities.
Within these nations, every aspect of life—from spiritual beliefs to societal norms—is instilled with the wisdom of those who came before. These communities value their ancestral lands as sources of sustenance and sacred sites and as integral to their identity and sovereignty. ”
Relationships with other nations and entities are navigated with a profound sense of responsibility and diplomacy. Indigenous nations aim to preserve peace, protect their territories, and uphold the rights and customs that define their way of life. This approach to living and governing underscores the resilience of Indigenous nations in the face of challenges, ensuring their culture, language, and heritage continue to thrive for future generations.
It is important to remember that there are also instances of multiple bands or Nations of Indigenous territories that are each unique in their composition yet are still bonded to one another by the connections shared by languages, cultures, and many other factors.
The Mohawk Nation embodies the unity and resilience of its communities despite the geographical separation of their territories and exemplifies how individual territories are bonded as a unified Nation. The Mohawk Nation, comprising Kahnawake, Kanesatake, Akwesasne, Tyendinaga, Ganienkeh, Kanatsiohareke, and the Kaniekehaka of Ohsweken and Wahta, are a prime example of individual territories spread across a vast expanse of land that form a Nation. Though these lands are not contiguous, they form the collective Mohawk Nation, uniting these communities through shared identity, language, culture, and other uniting factors.
The current Nations listings were compiled using data from Tribal Nations Maps various websites, and other resources available across the U.S. and Canada.
