Native American, as described by Britannica, is a member of any of the aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere, although the term often connotes only those groups whose original territories were in present-day Canada and the United States.
What is the correct terminology: American Indian, Indian, Native American, Indigenous, or Native?
All of these terms are acceptable. The consensus, however, is that whenever possible, Native people prefer to be called by their specific tribal name. In the United States, Native American has been widely used but is falling out of favor with some groups, and the terms American Indian or Indigenous American are preferred by many Native people. Native peoples often have individual preferences on how they would like to be addressed. When talking about Native groups or people, use the terminology the members of the community use to describe themselves collectively.
What do Indigenous people in Canada call themselves?
The Canadian Indian Act specifies that the aboriginal people of Canada consist of Indians, Métis, and Inuit people. (The Métis have both Native and French Canadian ancestors, and the Inuit, once known as the Eskimo, are a Native people of the Arctic.) First Nation came into use in the 1970s in Canada to replace the word Indian. However, as with Native people in the United States and Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas, it is always preferable to be as specific as possible when describing someone’s cultural affiliation.
What terms are used to describe Indigenous people in Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas?
In Central and South America, the direct translations for Indian and tribe have negative connotations. As a result, Spanish speakers use indígenas and comunidad, respectively. However, as with Native people in the United States and Canada, it is always preferable to be as specific as possible when describing someone’s cultural affiliation.
For additional information, check out this article: The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology: Am I Using the Right Word?
From the National Museum of the American Indian -Smithsonian
Traditional knowledge and Western science offer multiple lines of evidence about the first people to populate North America. Archeological and genetic evidence show that people have been here at least 23,000 years and as long as 30,000 years, underscoring American Indians' oral history that their ancestors lived on these lands from time immemorial. Archeology and indigenous knowledge show that humans arrived by land and sea.
Although the first people entered the Mississippi region about 12,000 years ago, the earliest major phase of earthen mound construction did not begin until some 2,100 years ago. Native Americans continued to build effigy mounds for another 1,800 years, or until around 1700 CE. People in the Mississippi Valley and east to Lake Michigan constructed earthen effigy mounds in animal, spirit, and geometric shapes. Although the mounds served ceremonial purposes and delineated territories of choice gathering and hunting grounds, their true cultural significance remains a mystery. American Indian oral history, legends, and mythology help scientists to interpret the physical evidence. -National Park Service
The Effigy Mound Culture extends from Dubuque, Iowa, north into southeast Minnesota, across southern Wisconsin from the Mississippi to Lake Michigan, and along the Wisconsin-Illinois boundary. The counties of Dubuque, Clayton, and Allamakee contain almost all the effigy mounds found in Iowa.
Clues can be found in American Indian legends and mythology, and to a lesser extent, scientific research. The stories and legends of the Native Americans whose ancestors built the mounds describe the effigy mounds as ceremonial and sacred sites. Archeologists believe the effigy mounds delineated territories of choice gathering and hunting grounds. Unfortunately, much of the data is inconclusive.
The construction of effigy mounds was a regional cultural phenomenon. Mounds of earth in the shapes of birds, bears, deer, bison, lynx, turtle, panther, or water spirit are the most common images. Like earlier groups, the Effigy Moundbuilders continued to build conical mounds for burial purposes, but their burial sites lacked the trade goods of the preceding Middle Woodland Culture. The Effigy Moundbuilders also built linear or long rectangular mounds that were used for ceremonial purposes, which remain a mystery. Some archeologists believe they were built to mark celestial events or seasonal observances. Others speculate they were constructed as territorial markers or as boundaries between groups.
The animal-shaped mounds remain the symbol of the Effigy Mounds Culture. Along the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa and across the river in southwest Wisconsin, two major animal mound shapes seem to prevail: the bear and the bird. Near Lakes Michigan and Winnebago, water spirit earthworks—historically called turtle and panther mounds—are more common. -National Monument, Iowa
To learn more about Iowa's Native Americans, their history, legends, and stories, check out these links:
What is the relationship between the Native American Tribes and the American Government?
The American Government 'Federally Recognizes' Native American Tribes.
Federal recognition (sometimes called federal acknowledgment) is a term of art formalizing a government-to-government relationship between the United States and a particular Indian Tribe. A federally recognized Tribe is generally "eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians."Accordingly, federal recognition engenders certain rights and protections for a recognized Tribe, including limited sovereign immunity and powers of self-government. Of the 574 federally recognized Tribes, 347 are located within the forty-eight contiguous states; 227 are located in Alaska.
In short, a federally recognized Tribe is one that is generally "eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians." Federal recognition (also called federal acknowledgment) thus engenders certain rights and protections for a recognized Tribe, including limited sovereign immunity and powers of self-government. There are currently 574 federally recognized Indian Tribes in the United States, according to the annual list published by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs. -United States Congress Official Site
With some exceptions, the official status of being American Indian or Alaska Native is conferred on members of federally recognized tribes. Federally recognized Native nations are inherently sovereign nations, but their sovereignty is legally curbed by being unilaterally defined as wards of the federal government. The federal government mandates tribal consultation for many issues, but has plenary authority over Indigenous nations. Many Native nations have specific treaty rights, and the federal government has assumed responsibility for Native peoples through its guardianship, although those responsibilities are often underfunded. There are also State-recognized and non-recognized American Indian tribes, but these are not officially Native nations in the eyes of the federal government. While American Indians born within the territory claimed by the United States are American citizens, they are also citizens of their own nations. -International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
Land Rights
American Indians and Alaska Natives can own lands like any other American citizen due to their status as citizens of the United States of America. However, as enrolled members of Native nations (or as these Native nations’ governments), much of their lands is owned “in trust”. This means that while individuals or tribal governments own the land, the federal government holds the title to the land in trust for them. Such lands can only be leased, sold, or changed with the agreement of the federal government; they count as federal lands for tax purposes, and these are the lands over which tribal governments hold the most unlimited sovereignty. Sovereignty over “fee lands” (lands for which the owners – Native or non-Native – hold the title themselves) is more contested, although tribal governments hold specific rights over fee lands on reservations.
Some tribes have no land base at all. One of those, the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona, saw a bill introduced to Congress in 2023 to ratify a treaty between the tribe and the Navajo Nation that would grant them 5,400 acres of the Navajo reservation. While the two nations entered into the treaty in March 2000, the United States has not yet ratified it; the treaty cannot become legal until it does.
Land Back
In 1934, Native people in the United States owned 47 million acres, down from 138 million in 1887. Native land holdings have gone up and, in recent years, a movement called “Land Back” has contributed to this. Tribes are buying land that they lost; in Nebraska, the Winnebago, the Ponca, and the Iowa have bought 3,000 acres of farmland over the past five years, for example. In August, California announced a USD 100 million grant program available to Native tribes in the state to buy back lands lost during colonization for cultural and conservation projects. In some cases, land is returned to tribes directly. In February, a bill was introduced to Congress to return land in Iowa and Nebraska to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska from the U.S. Corps of Engineers. In September, Minnesota gave the Upper Sioux Agency State Park to the Upper Sioux Community. Over the past two decades, tribes have gained back some 420,000 acres through various pathways.
Sacred Sites
In many places, sites that are culturally significant lie outside Native lands. While in December, the federal government finalized new guidelines for protecting such sites, problems remain. In July, a federal court ruled in favor of a lithium mine in Nevada despite the objections of several Paiute tribes. The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the Summer Lake Paiute Tribe are still trying to have the area around Thacker Pass recognized as a cultural district. Meanwhile, construction for the mine is underway.
The Resolution Copper mine, which would destroy the Apache sacred site of Oak Flat in Arizona, is still being upheld by the courts, and in March, the Forest Service said it could not say when it could finalize an Environmental Impact Statement. The San Carlos Apache appealed to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in April for support against the mine.
National Monuments
One way the federal government can attempt to protect lands and landscapes and co-manage them with tribes is by designating them National Monuments. In March of 2024, President Biden created the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and the Castner Range National Monument in Texas. Avi Kwa Ame is spiritually important for Paiute tribes as well as the Zuni, Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Kumeyaay, Yavapai, Maricopa, and other nations. Avi Kwa Ame, or Spirit Mountain, was also designated as tribal cultural property. The Castner Range in the Franklin Mountains is seen as an ancestral homeland by the Comanche and Apache. This area was used as an army training base until 1966, and the designation directs the army to work with tribes to open the land to the public. In August of 2024, the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument was designated. This area holds sites sacred to the Havasupai, Hopi, several Paiute tribes, the Navajo, Zuni, and Yavapai-Apache nations. Its designation will also protect the area from further uranium mining.
This information and additional information were provided by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
Currently, the only Federally Recognized Native American Tribe in Iowa is the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. They are also known as the Meskwaki Nation or the "People of the Red Earth". Here is an excerpt from their official Meskwaki Nation Website:
"Our settlement is located near Tama, Iowa, and is comprised of more than 8,624 acres. We have more than 1,450 enrolled tribal members, plus more than 1,230 Meskwaki descendants, and we’re the largest employer in Tama County, employing over 1,100 people. Through preservation, improved community services, and business opportunities, the people of the Meskwaki Nation are committed to protecting our inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting our culture, and improving the quality of life for future generations.
The Meskwaki Nation works hard to preserve our history. Our people are of Algonquian origin from the Eastern Woodland Culture areas and have been historically located in the St. Lawrence River Valley, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. After fighting in the Fox Wars and being relocated multiple times, the Meskwaki formally purchased land in Tama County, Iowa, which gave formal federal identity to the Meskwaki people as the “Sac & Fox of the Mississippi in Iowa.” We rely on the knowledge and experiences of the past, along with the will to survive, to advance the people, culture, and well-being of the Meskwaki Nation.”
A bit of history about the Meskwaki People you may find interesting:
The Meskwaki people (sometimes spelled “Mesquakie”) are of Algonquian origin from the Eastern Woodland Culture areas. The Meskwaki language is of a similar dialect to the Sauk and Kickapoo, and our people are working hard to maintain it.
The tribe has been historically located in the St. Lawrence River Valley along the Canadian border, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. The Meskwaki were called “Renards” (the Fox) by the French but have always identified themselves as “Meskwaki.” The Meskwaki fought against the French in what is now called the Fox Wars (1701-1742), and in 1735, the Sauk and Meskwaki allied together to fend off Europeans and other Indian Tribes. Both tribes moved southward from Wisconsin into Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Even though the Meskwaki and Sauk are two distinct tribal groups with linguistic and cultural similarities, the two tribes have often been associated throughout history. --Meskwaki Nation
The Unification of the Sauk and Meskwaki Tribes
After the Black Hawk War of 1832, the United States officially combined the two tribes into a single group known as the Sac & Fox Confederacy for treaty-making purposes. Through a series of land concessions in 1845 under the name of “Sac & Fox,” the Sauk and Meskwaki formally lost all lands and were removed to a reservation in east-central Kansas (although some persevered and chose to stay). After their banishment to Kansas, Meskwaki ancestors longed to reclaim their Iowa woodland homeland. Choosing to remain, some stayed hidden in Iowa, while others left for the Kansas reservation only to journey back to Iowa over the next few years. Throughout, there was an unbroken presence in Iowa, and by 1856, the State of Iowa enacted a law allowing the continued residence of the tribe.
From 1857 to 1901, the Meskwaki people had been slowly regaining lost land by purchasing it and maintaining a more independent lifestyle than other tribes confined to regular reservations strictly regimented by federal authority. Seeking to resolve this ambiguity, the State of Iowa ceded to the Federal Government all jurisdiction over the Meskwaki. The outdated federal law was later repealed by the Federal Government in 2019. In 1987, the Meskwaki purchased additional ground, expanding their holdings to 7,054 acres, acquiring land towards the north. Powwow celebrations, however, continue to be held on traditional grounds to the south.
Because their ancestors had the tenacity and foresight to purchase their land, the Meskwaki Settlement is not an Indian Reservation. It was not set apart from the public domain and reserved for Indians. It is privately purchased property — a sovereign nation. Owing to the noble sacrifices and vision of their ancestors, the Meskwaki continued to thrive and grow over the years on their purchased land.
The Meskwaki's Success and Future
Today, the Meskwaki continue to purchase land as opportunities for economic diversification arise. They currently own more than 8,100 acres in Tama, Marshall, and Palo Alto County. The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa is the only federally recognized Indian tribe in Iowa. They have their own constitution, codified laws, 13 full-time police officers, and a fully functioning court system
Over the last 15 years, the tribe has purchased Pinnacle Bank, built a new Meskwaki Travel Plaza, and created the Natural Resources and Buffalo Wildlife Project. They opened Meskwaki, Inc. and their subsidiaries, which started an economic diversification project working to create sustainable business opportunities for the Tribe. In 2013, as part of the Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Initiative, they launched Red Earth Gardens, a 40-acre self-sustaining farm, and in 2022, the tribe began growing and harvesting CBD-grade hemp through its new production/manufacturing corporation. Scheduled for opening in 2023, the community is currently building a 75,959 sq ft. recreation facility which will include a large gathering area for the community, youth classrooms, a daycare, a four-court gymnasium, running/walking track, weight room, outdoor splash park, and more. Above all, the Meskwaki Nation is working to build a better life for its community members through family service programs like their Behavioral Health Services, Historic Preservation and Language Preservation initiatives, Apprenticeship Program, and Higher Education.
By adapting, surviving, and thriving, The People Of The Red Earth are working hard to determine the needs within their community. They are committed to protecting their inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting their culture, and improving the quality of life for future generations.
Here is the most recent (2024) list of the 574 Federally Recognized Indian Tribes in the United States, provided by the Official United States Congress Website.
| Absentee-Shawnee Tribe | Agdaagux Tribe | Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians | Ak-Chin Indian Community | Akiachak Native Community |
| Akiak Native Community | Alabama-Coushatta Tribe | Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town | Alatna Village | Algaaciq Native Village |
| Allakaket Village | Alturas Indian Rancheria | Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor | Angoon Community Association | Anvik Village |
| Apache Tribe | Arctic Village | Asa'carsarmiut Tribe | Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes | Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians |
| Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe | Bay Mills Indian Community | Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria | Beaver Village | Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians |
| Big Lagoon Rancheria | Big Pine Paiute Tribe | Big Sandy Rancheria | Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians | Birch Creek Tribe |
| Bishop Paiute Tribe | Blackfeet Tribe | Blue Lake Rancheria | Bridgeport Indian Colony | Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians |
| Burns Paiute Tribe | Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians | Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians | Caddo Nation | Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria |
| Cahuilla Band of Indians | California Valley Miwok Tribe | Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians | Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians | Catawba Indian Nation |
| Cayuga Nation | Cedarville Rancheria | Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes | Chalkyitsik Village | Cheesh-Na Tribe |
| Chemehuevi Indian Tribe | Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria | Cherokee Nation | Chevak Native Village | Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes |
| Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe | Chickahominy Indian Tribe | Chickahominy Indian Tribe—Eastern Division | Chickaloon Native Village | The Chickasaw Nation |
| Chicken Ranch Rancheria | Chignik Bay Tribal Council | Chignik Lake Village | Chilkat Indian Village (Klukwan) | Chilkoot Indian Association (Haines) |
| Chinik Eskimo Community (Golovin) | Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation | Chitimacha Tribe | The Choctaw Nation | Chuloonawick Native Village |
| Circle Native Community | Citizen Potawatomi Nation | Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians | Cocopah Tribe | Coeur D'Alene Tribe |
| Cold Springs Rancheria of Mono Indians | Colorado River Indian Tribes | Comanche Nation | Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation | Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation |
| Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians | Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation | Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation | Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians | Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation |
| Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community | Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation | Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation | Coquille Indian Tribe | Coushatta Tribe |
|
Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians |
Cowlitz Indian Tribe | Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians | Craig Tribal Association | Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation |
| Crow Tribe | Curyung Tribal Council | Delaware Nation | Delaware Tribe of Indians | Douglas Indian Association |
| Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians | Duckwater Shoshone Tribe | Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | Eastern Shawnee Tribe | Eastern Shoshone Tribe |
| Egegik Village | Eklutna Native Village | Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians | Elk Valley Rancheria | Ely Shoshone Tribe |
| Emmonak Village | Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians | Evansville Village (also known as Bettles Field) | Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians | Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria |
| Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe | Forest County Potawatomi Community | Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation | Fort Bidwell Indian Community of the Fort Bidwell Reservation | Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians of the Fort Independence Reservation |
| Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation | Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation | Fort Mojave Indian Tribe | Fort Sill Apache Tribe | Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation |
| Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians | Greenville Rancheria | Grindstone Indian Rancheria of Wintun-Wailaki Indians | Guidiville Rancheria | Gulkana Village Council |
| Habematolel Pomo | Hannahville Indian Community | Havasupai Tribe | Healy Lake Village | Ho-Chunk Nation |
| Hoh Indian Tribe |
Holy Cross Tribe |
Hoonah Indian Association | Hoopa Valley Tribe | Hopi Tribe |
| Hopland Band | Houlton Band | Hualapai Indian Tribe | Hughes Village | Huslia Village |
| Hydaburg Cooperative Association | Igiugig Village | Iipay Nation | Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians |
Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope |
| Ione Band of Miwok Indians | Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska | Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma | Iqugmiut Traditional Council | Ivanof Bay Tribe |
| Jackson Band of Miwuk Indians | Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe | Jamul Indian Village | Jena Band of Choctaw Indians | Jicarilla Apache Nation |
| Kaguyak Village | Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians | Kaktovik Village (also known as Barter Island) | Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation | Karuk Tribe |
| Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria | Kasigluk Traditional Elders Council | Kaw Nation | Kenaitze Indian Tribe | Ketchikan Indian Community |
| Keweenaw Bay Indian Community | Kialegee Tribal Town | Kickapoo Traditional Tribe | Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas | Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma |
| King Island Native Community | King Salmon Tribe | Kiowa Indian Tribe | Klamath Tribes | Klawock Cooperative Association |
| Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation of the Cortina Rancheria | Knik Tribe | Koi Nation | Kokhanok Village | Kootenai Tribe |
| Koyukuk Native Village | La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians | La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians | Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians | Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians |
| Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians | Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians | Levelock Village | Lime Village | Little River Band of Ottawa Indians |
| Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians | Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians | Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe | Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians | Louden Tribe (also known as Louden Village) |
| Lovelock Paiute Tribe | Lower Brule Sioux Tribe | Lower Elwha Tribal Community | Lower Sioux Indian Community | Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation |
| Lytton Rancheria | Makah Indian Tribe | Manchester Band of Pomo Indians | Manley Hot Springs Village | Manokotak Village |
| Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians |
Mashantucket Pequot Indian Tribe |
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe | Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians | McGrath Native Village |
| Mechoopda Indian Tribe | Menominee Indian Tribe | Mentasta Traditional Council | Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians | Mescalero Apache Tribe |
| Metlakatla Indian Community | Mi'kmaq Nation | Miami Tribe | Miccosukee Tribe of Indians | Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians |
| Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (Six component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth Band) | Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians | Moapa Band of Paiute Indians | Modoc Nation | Mohegan Tribe of Indians |
| Monacan Indian Nation | Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians | Morongo Band of Mission Indians | Muckleshoot Indian Tribe |
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation |
| Naknek Native Village | Nansemond Indian Nation | Narragansett Indian Tribe | Native Village of Afognak | Native Village of Akhiok |
| Native Village of Akutan | Native Village of Aleknagik | Native Village of Ambler | Native Village of Atka | Native Village of Atqasuk |
| Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government | Native Village of Belkofski | Native Village of Belkofski | Native Village of Buckland | Native Village of Cantwell |
| Native Village of Chenega (also known as Chanega) | Native Village of Chignik Lagoon | Native Village of Chitina | Native Village of Chuathbaluk (Russian Mission, Kuskokwim) | Native Village of Council |
| Native Village of Deering | Native Village of Diomede (also known as Inalik) | Native Village of Eagle | Native Village of Eek | Native Village of Ekuk |
| Native Village of Ekwok | Native Village of Elim | Native Village of Eyak (Cordova) | Native Village of False Pass | Native Village of Fort Yukon |
|
Native Village of Gakona |
Native Village of Gambell | Native Village of Georgetown | Native Village of Goodnews Bay | Native Village of Hamilton |
| Native Village of Hooper Bay | Native Village of Kanatak | Native Village of Karluk | Native Village of Kiana | Native Village of Kipnuk |
| Native Village of Kivalina | Native Village of Kluti Kaah (also known as Copper Center) | Native Village of Kobuk | Native Village of Kongiganak | Native Village of Kotzebue |
| Native Village of Koyuk | Native Village of Kwigillingok | Native Village of Kwinhagak (also known as Quinhagak) | Native Village of Larsen Bay | Native Village of Marshall (also known as Fortuna Ledge) |
| Native Village of Mary's Igloo | Native Village of Mekoryuk | Native Village of Minto | Native Village of Nanwalek (also known as English Bay) | Native Village of Napaimute |
| Native Village of Napakiak | Native Village of Napaskiak | Native Village of Nelson Lagoon | Native Village of Nightmute |
Native Village of Nikolski |
| Native Village of Noatak | Native Village of Nuiqsut (also known as Nooiksut) | Native Village of Nunam Iqua | Native Village of Nunapitchuk | Native Village of Ouzinkie |
|
Native Village of Paimiut |
Native Village of Perryville |
Native Village of Pilot Point | Native Village of Point Hope | Native Village of Point Lay |
| Native Village of Port Graham | Native Village of Port Heiden | Native Village of Port Lions | Native Village of Ruby | Native Village of Saint Michael |
| Native Village of Savoonga | Native Village of Scammon Bay | Native Village of Selawik | Native Village of Shaktoolik | Native Village of Shishmaref |
| Native Village of Shungnak | Native Village of Stevens | Native Village of Tanacross | Native Village of Tanana | Native Village of Tatitlek |
| Native Village of Tazlina | Native Village of Teller | Native Village of Tetlin | Native Village of Tuntutuliak |
Native Village of Tununak |
| Native Village of Tyonek | Native Village of Unalakleet | Native Village of Unga | Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government (Arctic Village and Village of Venetie) | Native Village of Wales |
| Native Village of White Mountain | Navajo Nation | Nenana Native Association | New Koliganek Village Council | New Stuyahok Village |
| Newhalen Village | Newtok Village | Nez Perce Tribe | Nikolai Village | Ninilchik Village |
| Nisqually Indian Tribe | Nome Eskimo Community | Nondalton Village | Nooksack Indian Tribe | Noorvik Native Community |
| Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation | Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation | Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians | Northway Village | Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation |
| Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi | Nulato Village | Nunakauyarmiut Tribe | Oglala Sioux Tribe | Ohkay Owingeh |
| Omaha Tribe | Oneida Indian Nation | Oneida Nation | Onondaga Nation | Organized Village of Grayling (also known as Holikachuk) |
| Organized Village of Kake | Organized Village of Kasaan | Organized Village of Kwethluk | Organized Village of Saxman | Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council |
| The Osage Nation | Oscarville Traditional Village | Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians | Ottawa Tribe | Paiute Indian Tribe (Cedar Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes) |
| Paiute-Shoshone Tribe |
Pala Band of Mission Indians |
Pamunkey Indian Tribe | Pascua Yaqui Tribe | Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians |
| Passamaquoddy Tribe | Pauloff Harbor Village | Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians | Pawnee Nation | Pechanga Band of Indians |
| Pedro Bay Village | Penobscot Nation | Peoria Tribe of Indians | Petersburg Indian Association | Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians |
| Pilot Station Traditional Village | Pinoleville Pomo Nation | Pit River Tribe (Includes XL Ranch, Big Bend, Likely, Lookout, Montgomery Creek, and Roaring Creek Rancherias) | Pitka's Point Traditional Council | Platinum Traditional Village |
| Poarch Band of Creek Indians | Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians | Ponca Tribe of Indians | Ponca Tribe | Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe |
| Portage Creek Village (also known as Ohgsenakale) | Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. George Islands | Potter Valley Tribe | Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation | Prairie Island Indian Community |
| Pueblo of Acoma | Pueblo of Cochiti | Pueblo of Isleta | Pueblo of Jemez | Pueblo of Laguna |
| Pueblo of Nambe | Pueblo of Picuris | Pueblo of Pojoaque | Pueblo of San Felipe | Pueblo of San Ildefonso |
| Pueblo of Sandia | Pueblo of Santa Ana | Pueblo of Santa Clara | Pueblo of Taos | Pueblo of Tesuque |
| Pueblo of Zia | Puyallup Tribe | Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe | Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point |
Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska |
| Quapaw Nation | Quartz Valley Indian Community | Quechan Tribe | Quileute Tribe | Quinault Indian Nation |
| Ramona Band of Cahuilla | Rampart Village | Rancheria | Rappahannock Tribe, Inc. | Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians |
| Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians | Redding Rancheria | Redwood Valley or Little River Band of Pomo Indians | Reno-Sparks Indian Colony | Resighini Rancheria |
| Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission Indians | Robinson Rancheria | Rosebud Sioux Tribe | Round Valley Indian Tribes | Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska |
| Sac & Fox Nation | Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi | Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe | Saint George Island | Saint Paul Island |
| Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe | Salamatof Tribe | Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community | Samish Indian Nation | San Carlos Apache Tribe |
| San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe | San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians | Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians | Santa Rosa Indian Community | Santa Rosa Rancheria |
| Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians | Santee Sioux Nation | Santo Domingo Pueblo | Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe | Sault Ste. Marie Tribe |
| Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians | Seldovia Village Tribe | Seminole Tribe | The Seminole Nation | Seneca Nation of Indians |
| Seneca-Cayuga Nation | Shageluk Native Village | Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community | Shawnee Tribe | Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians |
| Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians | Shinnecock Indian Nation | Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe | Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation | Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation |
| Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate | Sitka Tribe | Skagway Village | Skokomish Indian Tribe | Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians |
| Snoqualmie Indian Tribe | Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians | Sokaogon Chippewa Community | South Naknek Village | Southern Ute Indian Tribe |
| Spirit Lake Tribe | Spokane Tribe | Squaxin Island Tribe | St. Croix Chippewa Indians | Standing Rock Sioux Tribe |
| Stebbins Community Association | Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians | Stockbridge Munsee Community | Summit Lake Paiute Tribe | Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak |
| Suquamish Indian Tribe | Susanville Indian Rancheria | Swinomish Indian Tribal Community | Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation | Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation |
| Takotna Village |
Tangirnaq Native Village |
Tejon Indian Tribe | Telida Village | Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians (Four constituent bands: Battle Mountain Band; Elko Band; South Fork Band; and Wells Band) |
| Thlopthlocco Tribal Town | Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation | Timbisha Shoshone Tribe | Tohono O'odham Nation | Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation |
| Tonawanda Band of Seneca | Tonkawa Tribe of Indians | Tonto Apache Tribe | Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians | Traditional Village of Togiak |
| Tulalip Tribes | Tule River Indian Tribe | Tuluksak Native Community | Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe | Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians |
| Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians | Tuscarora Nation | Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians | Twin Hills Village | Ugashik Village |
| Umkumiut Native Village | United Auburn Indian Community | United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians | Upper Mattaponi Tribe | Upper Sioux Community |
| Upper Skagit Indian Tribe | Ute Indian Tribe | Ute Mountain Ute Tribe | Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation | Village of Alakanuk |
| Village of Anaktuvuk Pass |
Village of Aniak |
Village of Atmautluak | Village of Bill Moore's Slough | Village of Chefornak |
| Village of Clarks Point | Village of Crooked Creek | Village of Dot Lake | Village of Iliamna | Village of Kalskag |
| Village of Kaltag | Village of Kotlik | Village of Lower Kalskag | Village of Ohogamiut | Village of Red Devil |
| Village of Sleetmute | Village of Solomon | Village of Stony River | Village of Venetie | Village of Wainwright |
| Walker River Paiute Tribe | Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) | Washoe Tribe (Carson Colony, Dresslerville Colony, Woodfords Community, Stewart Community, & Washoe Ranches) | White Mountain Apache Tribe | Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, & Tawakonie) |
| Wilton Rancheria | Winnebago Tribe | Winnemucca Indian Colony | Wiyot Tribe | Wrangell Cooperative Association |
| Wyandotte Nation | Yakutat Tlingit Tribe | Yankton Sioux Tribe | Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation | Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe |
| Yerington Paiute Tribe | Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation | Yomba Shoshone Tribe | Ysleta del Sur Pueblo | Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation |
| Yupiit of Andreafski | Yurok Tribe | Zuni Tribe |
