People of the Legends
Indigenous People of North America - Tribes and Nations
Being a nation
A nation is a larger group of people, such as several clans or tribes, who organise themselves more formally. Their leaders may be chosen in an agreed way and the people may have a say in how they are led. People are more aware of how they are governed.
Things that are important to people within a nation include:
- The land on which they live
- The language they speak
- Their culture and beliefs
- The relationships between people in different clans (kinship)
- The right of the people to set rules for how they live (govern themselves).
A nation of indigenous people may sometimes be called a federation of tribes.
Using the word “tribe” or “nation”
Sometimes the word “tribe” can suggest that people who live as a tribe are not capable of organising and governing themselves well. This can be upsetting and offensive to indigenous people who are proud of their tribe and its culture.
Tribes usually have the level of organisation and ways of governing that are right for their people. They do not need things to be any more formal.
