...
...
...

Na·tive A·mer·i·can

“A member of any of the indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America, especially those indigenous to what is now the continental US.”

Turtle Island Map Directory

Our Turtle Island map lists all the federally-recognized tribes in each state. You can use this feature to discover Native American tribes, businesses, tourist attractions, and more in any state or province! 

What is Turtle Island? 

Native American tribes use the Turtle Island folklore story to explain how North America came into existence. Although specific details vary by tribe, the underlying theme remains consistent.

According to oral tradition, the Earth began as a mass completely covered by water. Every animal in the sea attempted to carry dirt from the ocean floor to create land to live on but found themselves unsuccessful. The muskrat was the only creature capable of completing this task. The muskrat gathered mud from the ocean floor and placed it on a turtle’s back. Eventually, the ground began to multiply until it became the land we know today as North America!

Contact us to add your information to the map!

MEXICO WA VA OR NY NC MI MD AK CA NV UT CO ID MT ND MN WI HI IL IA MO AR SD NE KS OK TX WY NM AZ IN OH KY TN AL MS LA GA SC PA ME VT NH MA CT NJ DE RI WV FL ON MB QC NB NS PE NL SK AB BC YT NT NU SM KU QE QT AV NP

About Us

NativeAmericans.com serves as an educational outlet for Native Americans and non-Natives alike. By striving to connect diverse individuals, our site accurately describes the many realms linked to Native American culture.

NativeAmericans.com provides a platform where Native people can share traditions, access in-demand resources, and, most importantly, feel seen and understood. And for individuals from other walks of life, our site includes educational tools to better understand Native culture and history.

Explore Our Resources

Shop Our Merch!

TOP NATIVE AMERICAN NEWS

Chrystel Cornelius Provides Financial Support To Native Communities

Chrystel Cornelius will receive a cash award of $250,000 and the accompanying Heinz Award for the Economy in recognition of her influential work in the Native American community.  Cornelius has spent years providing financial resources and support for rural Indigenous tribes, who ...

FEATURED NATIVE AMERICAN Athletes

Maria Tallchief

Maria Tallchief was a professional ballerina prominent in the 1940s-1960s and a member of the Osage Nation. Tallchief was considered America's first Native American prima ballerina and was said to have revolutionized ballet. Before her passing, Tallchief was awarded several accolades for her accomplishments in ballet and her pride in her Native American heritage.

Maria Tallchief
REAL HISTORY

The annual John Beargrease Sled Dog marathon in Minnesota honors the legacy of Anishinabe man John Beargrease and his pivotal work in developing the entire North Shore of Minnesota and the communities who have maintained their foothold over the past century.

John Beargrease was born in Beaver Bay, Minnesota in 1858, the son of an Anishinabe Chief, Moquabimetem. The family lived in a traditional wigwam on the edge of the first settlement on Minnesota’s North Shore; Beaver Bay. They survived through their traditional native practices of hunting, fishing and trapping.

In John’s early years, a mere footpath existed as the main means of travel from Duluth to Thunder Bay, Ontario. The path was utilized first by the native Anishinabe and was adopted later by settling European fur traders and fishing families.

Despite the remoteness of the region, it offered abundant wildlife and great promise. By the time John Beargrease was in his twenties, the North Shore had become home to numerous small settlements of fishing families which had planted themselves in the many coves of Lake Superior’s rocky shoreline.

Lake Superior’s North Shore was then and is now, subject to severe temperature changes, heavy rainfall and violent storms and travel in the area was extremely difficult despite the influx of settlers. This lead to limited communication with the outside world at a time when most other parts of the country were receiving regular mail delivery.

John Beargrease and his brothers were avid hunters and trappers and made regular trips to the region along their well-established Lake Shore Trail trap line. Recognizing the opportunity, John and his brothers picked up the job of delivering the mail by simply tossing a mailbag or two into existing packs.

For almost twenty years, between 1879 and 1899, John Beargrease and his brothers delivered the mail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais. With the limited equipment available and loads weighing as much as 700 lbs. The trip was made once a week…an incredible feat for one man to accomplish especially when you consider the constant range of altitude along the shore.