The Sacred Truth Behind America's National Parks

[@MaiCohWolf]

I work as a park ranger. That’s why I’m trying to learn more about Land Back - I love the parks, but they’re complicated, and the NPS has a terrible history of dishonoring Indigenous rights and sovereignty, just as the government does. However, I feel that a lot of the new, young people coming into the NPS are very keen to work with and learn from the members of their parks’ affiliated tribes. More and more of us are acknowledging that we are all walking, living, and recreating on stolen land - land that would not be anywhere as restorative and beautiful if it weren’t cared for, and continually fought for, by Native people for so long. The path to Land Back feels so unclear and stirs up a lot of mixed feelings, but I feel like I really needed that lady’s expertise and faith that we CAN all live and thrive together, with each other AND the land. Thank you so much for this video! I’ve been watching PBS since I was a PBS kid and yall have never let me down with educative and hopeful content!! ❤ PS. I didn’t miss the Wilderness Explorer uniform from the movie UP! 😂

[@cecileestelle9448]

I visited Yellowstone recently (just days after the birth of a while calf) & was really heartened to see the ceremonial tipis posted outside the entrances to the park (we were entering from the West Yellowstone side). Every time I visited a ranger station inside the park, I was frustrated to see the US flag posted outside of it. These spaces SHOULD NOT belong to the US they are sacred spaces that belong to all of us (as humans, and those also who are non-human, like the many bison, bears, & foxes we saw), and it is a desecration to see those spaces claimed by the American flag.

[@minutemansam1214]

@@cecileestelle9448 Unfortunately for you they are part of the US's sovereign territory, and they aren't going to be given back.

[@minutemansam1214]

Stolen from whom? The Cherokee, who are from the parts of the Appalachians that border the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, are an Iroquoian peoples who originated from the Great Lakes region, before migrating and settling to their pre-Trail of Tears territory. But what happened to the tribes that lived there before the Cherokee? We don't know because the Cherokee didn't possess a written language at the time, but if you study tribal warfare some scenarios are possible, the genocide or the removal of the rival tribe from the area being a possibility. It just so happens that one particular tribe came to the area and happened to be real good at that. Doesn't make it right, but every person, nation, and ethnic group lives on "stolen" land. It's a meaningless concept with no practical applications in the real world.

[@Volundur9567]

Why can't they just give 100% of the land back to the Indigenous? Nope, the government still controls those parks and the offspring of invaders still gobble up property.

[@dahltonray5231]

@@cecileestelle9448not stolen, finessed

[@LearningwithLani]

I love how she acknowledged the misconception or fear people have of Native Americans doing back what has been done to them. I appreciated how she said it’s not about greed or ownership and definitely not about colonizing.

[@Leah-br6xu]

She explained it perfectly ❤

[@AuntyKsTarot]

I wish she had gone further and pointed out that it is about politically decolonizing though, because settler colonies must end globally

[@jaysongarcia1268]

she should be president .

[@sunstirade1085]

She? That’s a man

[@sefirunyan9838]

She is delusional and doesn’t even know what she is fighting for

[@Jenisonc]

Biggest let down ever was Mt. Rushmore. As a child, I was led to believe it was a symbol of national pride.. Then I saw the mountains. I felt the air. I learned the story.. Then I saw the faces. I was disgusted. That was 30 years ago.

[@jjdjj5392]

Watch the movie 'Skins'

[@southernafricanboy4148]

Could you please educate me as I am South African. So what was the real reason it was carved into those places and why are we told this bs version. What was it abiut the mountains you saw that made you change your views. Thanks in advance

[@kcjd8659]

Even without the story, it’s an eyesore that so clearly goes against the entire point of National Parks (the published point anyway), that I really don’t see how people fall for it. I guess it could be as simple as people being prone to accept hearing what they want to hear. When I went, it was the start of the American myth crumbling. The defacement of nature just made it really obvious that it was a myth at that point.

[@kcjd8659]

⁠​⁠@@southernafricanboy4148he goes over the real reason starting around 5:10 in the video. Personally, when I went to Mt. Rushmore, I was 17 years old, almost 30 years ago, before having any clue about the real and continued abuse of Native Americans by the US government, so outside of even that context, it just was so obvious when I saw it in person that it was a travesty on nature and a horrendous eyesore, at the very least. It’s the contrast between the stunning nature surrounding it, and the clearly self-glorifying, self-aggrandizing, self-gratifying human carving into the mountain that just jolts one into the realization that it’s not a good thing, even without knowing the depth of how and why it’s not a good thing. I had a similar, but more intense (likely because I was an adult at this point and knew a lot more of the context), experience when I visited Plymouth, Massachusetts. That was a feeling of realizing how much I benefit from the destruction and abuse of others. It’s an awful realization.

[@yesid17]

I've been saying for the longest time national parks should be ground zero for the landback movement, but the mainstream isn't ready for that conversation-never thought i'd hear that sentiment echoed on pbs!! another great video as always, i really appreciate all the native-themed content yall have been putting out lately. keep up the great work!!

[@maxq96]

I think there's a lot of truth to the idea that "mainstream isn't ready for that conversation," but it makes me sad. I think older generations who were never taught about a lot of things in history may not be willing to learn or care. But I hope younger generations decide to educate themselves because the only way history is repeated is when it stays hidden.

[@ladykarolyn1]

@yesid17 I've thought this too! It would be a decent start, seems to me. And then the rest, of course.

[@arrow2589]

PBS has been promoting minority issues since I can remember back into the 90s. They are based

[@cjackfly]

Come on. Everything natives do turns to garbage. We trained them for two years to run a water system in Alaska. In ONE YEAR, after turning the system over to the natives, the entire system for the entire village was destroyed. That cost American taxpayers millions of dollars to repair. As a country owning these lands together provides for everyone not just special interests with a singular nonsensical claim.

[@swirledworld340]

Land back to who though?? Natives took land themselves soooo who do we give the land back to?

[@rubenp1173]

this series is so well done, its so important to hear first hand from all these people you folks interview, appreciate all your hard work!!!

[@IvanIvanoIvanovich]

The John Muir Trail that passes through Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is actually a series of indigenous foot paths that were used for centuries, if not millennia, to traverse the Sierras. As with many roads throughout this country.

[@southernafricanboy4148]

I'm assuming this John Muir was of Scottish heritage judging by the surname While the English provided the funding and capital for colonial projects, the majority of the day to day evil was committed by their SCOTTISH underlings. In the USA, Australia and here in Southern Africa eg South Africa and Rhodesia now Zimbabwe and here many places have Scottish names 😢

[@IvanIvanoIvanovich]

@@southernafricanboy4148 Correct, he was born in Scotland and immigrated to the United States as a child. Muir's writings admittedly had a more respectful tone towards indigenous people than most white Americans of his time, but his love of the "wilderness" blinded him to their role in shaping it.

[@mellissadalby1402]

Yeah, Six Gransfathers Mountain, "Mount Rushmore" should never have been modified from its natural state. That was wrong.

[@erinmac4750]

I didn't know until recently that is is a sacred place. I'm heartbroken that some arrogant people in the past decided that it should be desecrated with those faces. I also thought that Oak Flats had been settled in the Apaches favor. I had signed petitions and sent letters on a number of occasions to help preserve it. This country needs to honor treaties, respect tribal nations and work with Land Back and other groups to restore stewardship and provide opportunities for tribes to preserve their cultures and heal all people on this land. My great grandfather and gr-great grandmother were Cherokee, but not on the roles. My grandmother knew some of her families traditions, but my mom didn't learn them. I feel the loss. I'm hoping I can find out more specifics to share with my boys. But, for now, I remind them that even if we aren't technically part of the system, that we need to look out for people and the land, working to mitigate the harm that has come to both. 💜

[@myriamickx7969]

I am not American, and I have always considered Mount Rushmore to be a horrible desecration of the landscape. Now that I have learned that it actually disfigured mountains that were sacred to the Indians, I find it even more reprehensible.

[@norahe1953]

Mount Rushmore is the dumbest thing in American landscape

[@gnostic268]

All four Presidents whose images were carved into the mountain were notorious haters of Native people. There was a reason those particular Presidents were chosen. It was to dehumanize the Lakota and force them to see people who hated them in Paha Sapa, our sacred Black Hills

[@gregstephens4896]

Truest form of permanent graffiti and desecration

[@adtamyaart]

The algorithm randomly put this in my feed & it's so cool to see indigenous politics like these being discussed openly.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

This is the ‘Parks and Recreation’ that I love ❤

[@LivingInBoredom]

Honestly, I’m so glad to see native people speaking on pbs. It’s incredible to be able to hear and see people that look like family talk about the importance of the land and living with instead of exploiting and destroying. And not just on some tiny little channel! ❤︎ much love from the swamp!

[@norahe1953]

I discovered a Lenape ancestor & kinda went down the rabbit hole of research in the last 7 years. The family tried to get their land (Matinecock land) for over 100 years but seemed to give up after the Revolutionary War. Their land is now a Historical Building Marker. You know why? Because Teddy Roosevelt built his house there. God forbid we let anyone disturb the land now… 15 miles east, the city of New York ripped up & destroyed a Matinecock cemetery - of whom have living descendents in the areas. It’s almost sickening

[@Axqu7227]

It IS sickening, not almost.

[@AB-wf8ek]

Thank you for sharing the real story. It's really disgusting to see people, especially in this age, acting like all native tribes did this to themselves.

[@norahe1953]

⁠@@AB-wf8ekyeah I genuinely had no clue until I went down the rabbit hole. I was so misinformed Half of the land “sales” on Long Island were literally “So you give me 10 acres of land, permanently & in exchange, I’ll give you some food & good blankets. Sign here.” Springfield, MA was burned down because the settlers essentially “bought” so much land from the Indians that the Indians had nowhere to plant their crops and they were like “wtf bro”. There is no way that these land sales would have been considered legal today. Not to mention all the tales of “we will sell you your land back, but only if you assimilate to American culture and let us build our own businesses and our own schools on your land”

[@cjackfly]

Yeah, that's messed up. The least they could do is move it. As that's standard in the industry.

[@norahe1953]

@@cjackfly they did move it. They desecrated the graves in the process. Some of the bodies went missing

[@jenniferburns2530]

I remember thinking as a child "how can you discover land if people already live there?" The answer, of course, was the native people didn't count to the Church, European nations, and wealthy companies seizing the land.

[@schiffelers3944]

As a European I can only say; it's complicated, and a lot of lies/truth manipulations for power. Discover is not the strange part, claiming it is the weird part; Claiming it for the Church. How Christianity became the largest and most dominant World Religion, even with it's birth place Europe heavily being de-Christening, with eyes opened to the historic lies and atrocities. Identity plays a large role also; national identies did not always exist. The religious identity was a strong one. Colonialism and Nationalism are interwined. 1492 Age of; Discovery, the Reconquista* and Enlightenment out of the dark ages. By now most know Columbus was not the first European to discover the American continent. However Leif Erikson was also not the first. Brendan the Navigator was, the church knew these lands existed. Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 - c. 577) is one of the early Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager. He traveled the world and claimed to have found land which could be the America's. Others claimed that the boats at that time could not survive that, but with experiments they have had done so. Also keep in mind the Flat Earth and falling of the Edge was still huge in the perception of truth at that time. Christianity as we know it from history began as the State Religion of the Roman Empire. Early christian beliefs are more akin to gnostic beliefs than the Christian beliefs we know. The Western part of the Roman Empire fell, this Roman Catholic structure didn't. It continued and thrived. And once was one of the most powerful and richest organizations on the globe (or at least in the Western worlds). World Domination was (is) the ideology. But the Catholic Church still with power and wealth is no longer the top dog here, in the 21st century. * 1492 The Reconquista and the end of Al Andalus, the Islamic Moors Empire in Europe. Black as Moors. So African Islamic oppressors. They came, they saw and they conquerd. Veni Vidi Vici [Latin, Refering back to Roman Empire, the Emperors, Kings, Lords are actually war lords. Warrior Kings. Human history and cultural evolutions.] They (white/European/Spanish Christians) re-conquered the Iberian penisula in the Christian faith, or better said Roman Catholic. They pushed out the non-Christians, where we also get the European Jewish migration again, one of many. First these Jews went to Portugal, from there they had to re-locate again; to the Low Lands, religious freedom and tolerance. (But lesser towards Catholics) And the Revolt against Spanish rule. They owned many of the ship of the VOC later, the Diamond trade center in Amsterdam, etc. not because of "The Jews", but some of these Jewish immigrants took their trade and networks of trade with them, to Antwerp at first and then Amsterdam. But a different story, and the with the victimhood-cards I must be careful to state facts while not comming across anti-Semitic. A theory also is that that Ladino is part of the influence why parts of the Netherlands have the "hard G" and not the soft G. It's all more complex and interwoven than I can express here with as few words as possible to not write a book collection's worth of words. Portugal and the Netherlands (Low-lands) and the spice trade + slave trade & the colonizations. The fight for independance from Spain and the Monarch's rule. Fighting costs money, fighting Great powers for independence needs resources.... Small coastal regions pushing back, and relying on their tallents of seamenship. Find new places of resources if the great powers hold and claim most of the European continent. The Spice and Slave trades gave them the money to fund their independence fights. The independence of the Netherlands and the VOC Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie. The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or VOC) was a remarkable entity, replaced by the British East India Company. In part why USA wanted independence from the British Empire. VOC founded in 1602, it traded primarily in spices but also the slave trade, and quickly became the most influential company in the world. At its peak, the VOC was worth more than Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, ExxonMobil, Berkshire Hathaway, Tencent, and Wells Fargo combined! Imagine that-the world’s most valuable company, Apple, is worth only about 11% of the VOC’s peak value. It’s fascinating how this chartered trading company shaped history and left an indelible mark on global commerce. Money, money, money, must be funny, in a rich mans world. It's all about the money, its all about the dum, dum, daddi da dum. Ka-Ching, We live in a greedy little world That teaches every little boy and girl To earn as much as they can possibly Then turn around and spend it foolishly We've created us a credit card mess We spend the money that we don't possess Our religion is to go and blow it all So it's shoppin' every Sunday at the mall All we ever want is more A lot more than we had before So take me to the nearest store Can you hear it ring It makes you wanna sing It's such a beautiful thing Ka-ching! Lots of diamond rings The happiness it brings You'll live like a king With lots of money and things When you're broke, go and get a loan Take out another mortgage on your home Consolidate so you can afford To go and spend some more when you get bored All we ever want is more A lot more than we had before So, take me to the nearest store (ka-ching!) NY -> New Amsterdam & New Netherlands. Wall street -> de Wallen. Tulip mania, first recorded speculative economic bubble burst. USA = less British and more Dutch. We kept trading guns and ammunition with the US in their fight for indepence. Despite the British Empire banning trade with US, especially guns and ammunition, gun powder, etc. Anglo Dutch wars also during these times. And EIC replacing VOC. Fort van Oranje the place where the Flag of the USA was first saluted France was the first Great Power to recognize US independence from Britian [Keep in mind the history & feuds between both Great Powers.] The Declaration of Independence is basically a translated copy pasted version of Het Plakkaat van Verlatinghe. (Dutch Independence) What can I say about the quest for freedom and equality.... it's clear that has been lacking for it to still be the goal. It's complex and interwoven aspects, this is just one of them. And there is still more we could get into. Eurocentric dominance, USA aka Europe 2.0 the Enlightened social experiment. Which led to European Union. But before that the Republic of the Seven United Nether Lands; out of the 17. Holland was one of these 7. Why most other nations refered to the Netherlands as Holland. We United and we broke apart again with reasons; Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg. Why the Netherlands now days only has "12" provinces from the 17. And 13 Capital Cities. Open secrets, state secrets, secret societies, jada-jada-jada... CPTSD and War trauma's, opperession trauma's, generational trauma, religious trauma, etc. .... the bullied become the bullies. Christianity and the chosen one narration.... Which actually links in to the Jewish root aspect of Christianity, but it isn't Judaism since Jesus preached different aspects to his own Jewish faith. Temple cleansing amonsts other things. But that is a different story. "All roads lead back to Rome!" (In Europe). But European "history" is older than the Birth of the Roman Empire. [History entails the written down part of history] pre-history is the parts before it was written down or with little to no written records. European history thus actually begins with the Greek Empire, which is Replaced by the Roman Empire, with the Roman State Religions; Roman Catholic Christianity. The Western Roman Empire fell; The Goths (gods) and the other Germanic tribes came and took the vacant seat of power. The Christian religion and the Christening of the world was actually a continuation of the Roman Empire expansion, with different "ruler" tribes now. Money/wealth & high social positions in Law - It buys you freedom. Take white collar crimes vs blue collar crime.

[@schiffelers3944]

Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men? It is the music of the people Who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart Echoes the beating of the drums There is a life about to start When tomorrow comes!

[@natel9019]

They discovered it for their people. Just like if a Native took a boat to Europe, they would be the first people to discover Europe for their people.

[@OdawaTraveler]

The people's history of Native America is the best series on KZbin! My only complaint is that please make the episodes longer.

[@karenstimson2683]

I learned about Native genocide and land appropriation in the 1960's from listening to folksinger/songwriter Buffy Sainte Marie's scathing exposes "Now That the Buffalo's Gone" and "My Country Tis of Thy People You're Dying". It's horrible to see how little progress has been made since then. Thank you for speaking truth to power with this series!

[@cjackfly]

NPS doesn't have any power. Smh.

[@mfc111]

Do you mean how 90% of native North Americans died from small pox as reported by pbs?

[@mfc111]

Test

[@mfc111]

90% of native Americans passed away of smallpox, measles, and influenza as reported on pbs website

[@mfc111]

Wow my comment is really censored when my source is literally from pbs’ website.

[@pixie7349]

More people should get involved in ecology, don’t leave protection of the environment to Native people alone. Learn from what they are doing and participate in change. Join into protests that protect our water and plant native species in your yards, turn your grass lawn into a prairie that can support the wildlife around you.

[@CodyosVladimiros]

another great example from Arizona: Theodore Roosevelt and the Grand Canyon, forcing the Hualapai and most of the Havasupai out of their homeland within the Grand Canyon itself. great video.

[@timkbirchico8542]

Hi man x there has been no bigger crime against humanity than the war against Native Americans and the confiscation of their land. Love to you my brothers. I live with nature in Sierra Nevada in Spain. We are all people, the trees, birds, insects, mammals et al. Keep fighting for your obvious right to your homelands.

[@lmccampbell]

they lost the same way they fought and destroyed other tribes.

[@crownshydruid]

@@lmccampbellas nuanced as a slab of concrete

[@lbarnx]

@@lmccampbell That's just an excuse for thievery. At least the land was still in the hands of the indigenous people that appreciated it and weren't actively trying to destroy it for profit.

[@lmccampbell]

@@lbarnx they did indeed. Look up the tribes that sided with the US and the view of war leader like geronimo of their own people

[@lmccampbell]

@crownshydruid not really there were many tribes that sided with European societies

[@slotho122]

Capitalism is inextricably entwined with colonialism.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

Except that nations with no colonial ambitions, like Singapore, seem to have capitalism as the lifeblood of their national fabrics.

[@brianlombera1826]

Yup

[@norahe1953]

@@aycc-nbh7289Singapore was colonized tho….

[@aycc-nbh7289]

@@norahe1953I don’t see what this has to do with my argument.

[@norahe1953]

@@aycc-nbh7289 you’re using Singapore as the exception when Singapore has colonialism deeply embedded in their history

[@TheDopekitty]

As a Canadian, our forefathers did the same and our government is now acknowledging the injustices and trying to make things better.

[@Ac_a]

Doubt that. It’s still trying to kick Natives off their land so Corporations can Steal their Natural Resources and Pollute the Land.

[@quinlansilver7297]

Our government has done the bare minimum of acknowledgement.

[@zw3334]

Canada is still making things worse. For example, the government is literally sending in cops and military to arrest Wet'suwet'en off their sacred land so a private company can build an oil pipeline. And prosecuting the indigenous activists for "trespassing". Currently. And that's just one of many examples. Canada is not better than the U.S. in regards to First Nations or the environment.

[@twinbruisesonmyshins]

the canadian government is disgusting. they give a couple performative land acknowledgments to appease the non-native population while continuously refusing to even give native people clean water. its a performative lie

[@kasondaleigh]

Wow! The first honest assessment of US policy and history regarding the Native American displacement. Greed is a destructive force. I learned a lot. Thank you.

[@theMuBot]

I'm white, and I grew up in Northern California (on traditional Ohlone and Northern Pomo land, at different points). I was fascinated by nature and natural sciences, and I have a lot of formative memories in forests, rivers, bluffs, and beaches on various types of public land. My high school had a Environmental Science and Environmental Literature classes that I took twice each. The mythology of John Muir is something I absorbed young and was never given any reason to question.

[@bobbirahmirres3638]

This is a really wonderful and informative series ☺️

[@pamelamelvin5998]

Keep the TRUTH coming!!!

[@Idealist_Metaphor]

Dude this guy, get this guy doing more and get him seen by more people. He is absolutely incredible

[@loganl3746]

I have the pleasure of visiting the Crazy Horse Memorial and the adjoining museum while i was in South Dakota, which is an indigenous response to Mt. Rushmore. Its an ongoing construction project, but it's massive, beautiful, educational, and ambitious (plus it's much more well executed than Mt. Rushmore imo). It's not without its critics in the tribal community tho, since it *is* carving a mountian.

[@YouGuessIGuess]

If these parks hadn't been created that land would all belong to industry and even more of our species would be endangered or extinct. But because they exist, we have an opportunity to bring more Native access and influence to those spaces. While the intentions and execution were not great, national parks are still America's best idea.

[@bbb-1-2-3]

well this thought crossed my mind too.... maybe through this unintentionally it got set aside, in some places untouched preserved, where applicable. now, what do you think if native tribes would be ok to have more open gatherings, and practicing rituals in some of these spots on some important date in a year, and draw others , us who are interested to participate with our good will and energy or just observe, just like people go to Stonehenge or similar. that type of event, through active practice may start the actual give back in occasional use of land, before sit at the table to sign papers?

[@octaviusv]

I'm surprised there was no mention of Death Valley and the Timbisha, who call the valley home and whose homes were demolished over and over again by the park until finally they were able to stay and how they are now.

[@DeerWolf.TheFirst]

This actually happened to me at a Native American cemetery of the Cherokee who died in a battle. The cemetery is semi hidden off of a hiking trail. I was informed where to go and asked to be respectful by a local indigenous. When I got near, there was a couple ahead of me with their cameras out and that intended to take photos of the cemetery. As soon as they approached a downpour of rain came out of nowhere and as soon as they ran out of there and back down the main trail, the rain stopped. I took that as a sign to turn my phone off and not take any photos. It was a beautiful, humble and somber place to enter. I did my best to show respect and pay attention to the plants and simple stones that were left as markers. The rain could be explained away as happenstance, but I felt I was in the presence of something worthy of reverence.

[@Caterfree10]

I love this series. Brb saving this episode for the landback explainer!

[@wesh388]

So if they get the land back.. are they going to on it in teepees as they once did, without electricity & running water? If it's truly about re-discovering their lost traditions, that's what they'd do. But if they're trying to get the land back just so they can build houses in national parks, that's only going to destroy them. This seems like they're just trying to play victim to get free land. After all, there's nobody alive today that persecuted Native Americans, so why should they have to pay the price? People take over other people, thats the way the world has always been. Everyone alive today is an ancestor of a group of people that has had their land taken from them.

[@deanbardos1950]

This was a good intro to the doctrine of discovery and the tie in to the land back movement. Wado. Well done.

[@cooperhough7583]

Thank you for all the work you're doing to educate people

[@rebeccacarpenter2175]

This is so enlightening. Thank you so much for making these videos.

[@schiffelers3944]

Funny you chose that word, with the Enlightening (period) being a big part in this colonization and nationalization evolution from our cultures and societies.

[@greeen0broccolli]

Humans evolve when we are connected with the Earth. The Earth is not a product. It is a living organizam that deserves respect and our diligent attention. Landback! Because the indigenous know more about this land than colonizers. And we can ALL know more about humanity and how we fit on this Earth when we learn how to connect with it.

[@TheRealTomWendel]

The Hopi prophecy predicts that humans won’t progress until the Europeans learn from the Americans what they in turn were sent here to discover and vice versa.

[@cerosis]

Thabk you for talking about Land Back! My family is Texas native and was talking to my brother, mentioning this he immediately assumed that Native Americans would kick out non-native people who are currently living in these spaces and I had no argument against it

[@roflcopterIII]

I think a big issue with landback as a concept is that it's super vague and, imo, i feel like Krystal didnt do a great job of illustrating exactly *what* that would look like. It's one thing to say "well we won't be colonizers" but then not really provide many great proposed policies for how this would actually go down in practice, you know?

[@IvanIvanoIvanovich]

Yes in this video they didn't give a lot of concrete examples. Overall the main takeaway is for federal and state agencies to give tribes (including unrecognized tribes) a larger role as stakeholders in policy and greater access to public lands.

[@IvanIvanoIvanovich]

Some examples of existing collaboration that I am aware of are the North Fork (and several other tribes) conducting cultural burn workshops with Cal Fire and the USFS, the Yurok condor breeding program that works closely with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and various requirements for tribal consultation on state and federal projects. Examples of access would include agencies giving tribes rights to gather food and medicinal plants or restricted access to certain cultural sites for closed religious ceremonies, both currently done in Yosemite NP.

[@sealfan1000]

This is the feeling I get when I have been in some of these sacred places. Mt Rushmore scared me as a child and I felt unwell when we visited. Colonial thinking is not the way. I appreciate this so much.

[@nancyholcombe8030]

Thank you for a very informative video where the concepts and realities that you were trying to convey came through crystal clear. I am now subscribed and looking forward to future videos!😊

[@KatrinaMidgette]

I work at Wilmington State parks. They literally have a list of approved plants and a list of invasive that they kill with vengeance and they do not allow foraging at state parks. That’s why I’m going back to school for environmental science with a marine emphasis so I can call the shots.

[@SailorGreenTea]

I like you, your delivery and your content.

[@khajiitnobanana2504]

This is such an important video series. Thank you for doing these.

[@brigjack7789]

There is still a myth that there were no natives on the west coast. When in reality there were close to 200 tribes in CA prior to the spanish invaded in late 1400s. Im modoc/klamath, and my tribes two national parks plus river and county named after us.

[@aprilblossoms4]

Really? I live in the pacific northwest and so many cities here including Seattle itself bears a Native American name not to mention is also home to multiple tribes.

[@brucelachniet8698]

The tribe I was part of destroyed my homeland in TC Michigan. They tore down the farms and put up condos.

[@willmendoza8498]

Landback! Not gonna be easy, but it's gotta happen

[@wesh388]

No

[@wesh388]

So if they get the land back.. are they going to on it in teepees as they once did, without electricity & running water? If it's truly about re-discovering their lost traditions, that's what they'd do. But if they're trying to get the land back just so they can build houses in national parks, that's only going to destroy them. This seems like they're just trying to play victim to get free land. After all, there's nobody alive today that persecuted Native Americans, so why should they have to pay the price? People take over other people, thats the way the world has always been. Everyone alive today is an ancestor of a group of people that has had their land taken from them.

[@natel9019]

The only thing that Native tribes have right now is millions and millions of acres. You think they should be given more?

[@wesh388]

@willmendoza8498 So if they get the land back.. are they going to live on it in teepees as they once did, without electricity & running water? I doubt it, but if it's truly about re-discovering their lost traditions, that's what they'd do. But if they're trying to get the land back just so they can build houses in national parks, that's only going to destroy them. This seems like they're just trying to play victim to get free land. After all, there's nobody alive today that persecuted Native Americans, so why should they have to pay the price? People take over other people, thats the way the world has always been. Everyone alive today is an ancestor of a group of people that has had their land taken from them. Every nation in existence has been built on "stolen" land.

[@wesh388]

@willmendoza8498 So if they get the land back.. are they going to live on it in teepees as they once did, without electricity & running water? If it's truly about re-discovering their lost traditions, that's what they'd do. But if they're trying to get the land back just so they can build houses in national parks, that's only going to destroy the land. This seems like they're just trying to play victim to get free land. After all, there's nobody alive today that persecuted Native Americans, so why should they have to pay the price? People take over other people, thats the way the world has always been. Everyone alive today is an ancestor of a group of people that has had their land taken from them. Every nation today was build on "stolen" land...

[@theoblincko18]

The colonisation of Australia and the Americas must be the single biggest crime and tragedy, the single biggest act of self harm we have ever inflicted on ourselves as humans

[@Northwest360]

Such an important video!!

[@kariannecrysler640]

Thank you

[@henriettaabeyta1457]

I'd like it if your helpful videos of America's history and modern things were on the Roku list sir. You show enough to help me see what they often refuse to teach about modern life.

[@TheOriginalCranberyy]

I agree that at the end of the day all land is sacred and gives life. It should be given that respect. Love the content, thank you.

[@leroypreston2973]

I can see the discussion of giving tribes land back as a tricky issue. Like if we decided to give Yosemite back to the tribes that lived there, would that mean it can't be used as a camping site? Or can it be? Would it being used as such by outsiders cause problems for any tribes living there? As well as how the National Parks system would work and get money when letting Native people's have their land back.

[@leroypreston2973]

Or could some parts be native land and some campgrounds for tourists? Would this cause problems for the Natives on said land?

[@headlessspaceman5681]

Why and how is that "tricky"? Can Native Americans not own campgrounds and parks and manage them as such? Oh wait there's this place called Monument Valley Tribal Park, it is not a US National Park, it is visited by millions and millions of people, there is a campground, all owned and managed by the Navajo. In addition there's Canyon De Chelly in Arizona which is a US National Monument but occupied and managed by the Navajo. Additionally the Navajo offer tours of various Anasazi cliff dwellings which are on the Navajo Reservation. So it's already a thing.

[@leroypreston2973]

@@headlessspaceman5681 I didn't know. I guess then to figure out how to have more tribes do so with more National parks and to work it out with the tribes, the national parks system, environmentalists, the government, etc. I didn't know if it would be wrong to have campsites on land owned by Native people. I thought it would be offensive or problematic if land owned by tribes was also a campsite used by outsiders. But now that I see that it isn't, I guess it is possible. The main issue then is having more tribes have ownership of National parks and working out stuff with various groups.

[@insearchofYAH]

I’m down to decolonize sacred sites. But can the organizers make it a point to not hire aramark as a supplier?! Also, Yosemite’s tourons are next level dumb. I saw a group of 25-30 ppl hang a piñata from a black oak tree! Education should be mandatory.

[@leroypreston2973]

@@insearchofYAH I use Yosemite as an example of a National Park and what would happen if we gave it back to the tribes that lived in the area. I also wondered if it would be wrong for tourists to use such places as Campsites especially if Native Groups had access to the land. Now that I know it can be done, guess then to make it happen more and more. Yeah I do think to make sure tourists don't do dumb stuff and are better with cleaning up the land

[@SailorGreenTea]

5:45, how does China feel to see their cousins abused with their own gunpowder, a product not originally used this way?

[@MicahRion]

I really appreciate this series. I knew a bit about Six Grandfathers Mountain's sacredness and the National Parks being a force of colonization, but not much. I really appreciated learning more and will check out the Native America series.

[@auttosave7320]

0:30 hahaha! awesome video, lookin forward to checking out the others in the series!

[@Gtheexplorer_]

@ 8:41 yup that sounds like something America would say or think.

[@robert9016]

It’s basically what’s happening in Northern Ireland right now. Protestants deathly terrified of a Bangladeshi guy setting up a kebab shop in Belfast, when in reality THEY are the ones who are where they are today because they colonized and displaced indigenous people. If you got where you are because of settler colonialism and relentless othering and villainization of indigenous people, the very presence of the “other” is an attack on everything you know.

[@Leah-br6xu]

I genuinely believe colonizing isn’t in our nature, we aren’t built with those desires, values whatever it is that drove others to colonize

[@golwenlothlindel]

Yes it is and also no it isn't. it came out of the economic and political circumstances of a specific era which presented certain temptations to people who had the right traits to fall prey to them. All of us have the potential to be selfish, greedy, cruel and myopic: but the circumstances of modern life are not the same as they were in Western Europe in the Renaissance. Without those circumstances, peoples' vices manifest themselves differently.

[@sefirunyan9838]

I think it’s a lot more likely your ancestors lacked the brains to form more permanent communities, but maybe you’re right

[@GrandmaBev64]

In 1863 they passed the "Relocation Act of 1863", but it should have been called the "Extermination Act of 1863" and by 1864 there were 75 internment camps across the nation and the railroad connected them all. Native people didn't have ownership of the land because they believe they are stewarts of the Earth and it can not belong to 1 person or groups of people. The land is for us to live , care for, and be at peace with nature. The Calvary and Texas Rangers were hired to remove the Indigenous People, one way or another. They sent men to negotiate with each tribe (there wasn't any negotiating) either they went peacefully or fought for their lives. Their children were removed and sent to Christian schools and able bodied people were incarcerated and forced to work. These schools operated into 20th century!

[@jjdjj5392]

Yes. My childrens GRANDFATHER, my PARENTS age group, went to a South Dakota Indian boarding school. Thats very recent!

[@lorib.8786]

13,000 acres of Chippewa national park was recently given back to leech lake reservation.

[@roshang.14]

Great series

[@brianlombera1826]

It's sad that a lot of this happens in America (North, Central, and South). Love to all Native peoples.

[@bbb-1-2-3]

new way of being is coming soon to the earth for all!!! ❤thank you for this beautiful video. ❤ as the whole world is awakening now... things are shifting in the right direction

[@todaysfreshbullcrap]

Love this accurare insight. Refreshing to see the real history. 👏👏👏 Well done PBS

[@sunnybhai1904]

Saved! What a powerful episode

[@twotrackjack2260]

This content is outstanding, im incredibly grateful its being made!

[@badmonkeyking]

Great Share thank you.!

[@gisselblazeup]

Very enlightening!!!

[@jamessclar]

Thank you for an actual education! 🙏🏼

[@Alasdair37448]

I love this I’ve heard about land back and I’ve been a supporter for some time now and I thought your explanation was wonderful.

[@Tucsonjude]

Beautiful!

[@larryrobinson08]

Oak Flats, need all our support.

[@Beryllahawk]

Her faith that we CAN do this makes me cry a lil bit. Part of my thing with Landback sort of comes out as "but is it even possible to really give it back?" Not because I don't think native tribes SHOULD have their lands. But because those lands are so often just...ruined. How is it actually fair to give back a land so ravaged that it doesn't support life anymore? I have to hope that I'm completely wrong in that concern, but seeing the things done to Six Grandfathers makes me want to shout in frustration. How can you 'fix' that?? Isn't time (and long past time really) that we muzzle the corporate hounds and restrain the greed?

[@erinmac4750]

Well said! Speak Truth to Power! We may not be able to restore everything to how it was, but any respect/return of sacred lands, and returned/shared stewardship is progress. Personally, I would love to see as much treaty land returned as possible, but that's going to be difficult until we get corporations/greed out of US government. #LandBack 🏞️✊

[@aycc-nbh7289]

@@erinmac4750So who determines whom the land belongs to? Should Six Grandfathers belong to the Lakotah or the Cheyenne, for example?

[@erinmac4750]

@@aycc-nbh7289 Perhaps it could be shared by both if it's sacred to both. Neither are going to want to damage the land.

[@aycc-nbh7289]

@@erinmac4750But the question would remain of who would be allowed to enforce the provisions of its sanctity and whose laws would apply to it, as well as possible claims of other potential competing tribes. Also, by similar logic, it could also remain a tourist destination for nonmembers of any tribe.

[@Beryllahawk]

@@aycc-nbh7289 I would think that the varying tribes could come to an agreement with each other. Very possibly, more easily with each other than with the government. I don't deny that the tribes had beef with each other in the past, but it seems like at this point, they've got far more in common - and far more to gain by working together - for any of those old disagreements to carry much weight in a practical sense. And, even if they DO still disagree: they're sovereigns in their own right, and don't necessarily need us outsiders to help them work things out. I also don't see why all the native groups involved couldn't draw some benefit from tourism; I feel like they'd be fine with tourists so long as they could enforce their *own* rules about such activities.

[@Leonbobway]

I love this series!!!!

[@b1oh1]

As an atheist I think all religion is silly. That being said, it is everyone's right to worship, or not, whatever or however they want. Even if that wasn't the case, it wasn't colonizer's land to begin with. It is my sincere hope your lands can be reclaimed in our lifetime. Once again, Tai, thank you and PBS for educating us in matters that aren't taught in schools. ♥️

[@MariaMartinez-researcher]

I copy here a comment you may be interested in: I would like to see the sources for that "doctrine of discovery" claim. Because, in case you haven't noticed, the colonizers of North America, Africa, Asia, were not under the orders or had anything to do with the Pope of Rome, and, the colonies of the countries that were in the Pope's orbit at the beginning, specifically Spain, nowadays have larger and more influential native populations, many of which have conserved their culture, languages and religion. The native populations have suffered more by the hands of modern colonizers, not conquistadors, both in Catholic and Protestant countries. Bibliographic researcher here, I worked decades compiling the Boletín Bibliográfico de Historia de la Iglesia en Chile; in that capacity I checked an innumerable amount of papers on the field of history in Chile and Latin America. I maintain that the "doctrine of discovery" is a construct by Anglosaxon historians still influenced by the Black Legend and animosity toward Spain, and that the torts suffered by native peoples long after 15th century are motivated by pure greed and racism, not any kind of Papal order. Please, prove me wrong with sources.

[@sethland]

Thank you. I this video hit on so many things that I didn’t even realize I believed inside. It upsets me, but I need to hear it and ponder it. While mining, foresting, and agriculture are certainly uses that benefit the economy of the USA and create jobs, I think most people can observe that the benefits almost always accrue at the top and even exploit the labor at the bottom. That is greed. I wonder if Native control can help our country scale back from our greed and force us to find better ways to be a productive society.

[@jfrader]

Been avoiding this series to avoid the associated guilt. 😢 haha. Clearly great stuff! More please!

[@medorakea7327]

this is such an important video. more like this!

[@sagewhite5776]

Great video!

[@Blake_61636]

Love this super informative episode.

[@lizard3755]

8:40 This was such a profound thing for me. I was literally thinking, "These tribes definitely deserve to have their land back, it just stinks that there are some places that wouldn't be accessible to non-tribe members anymore." It completely changed how I was thinking about it and made me feel ashamed (rightfully so) of how I'd been feeling about it up until now. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insight on this so that people can better understand the movement and how it will benefit everyone. My family is visiting the Grand Canyon for my dad's birthday as it's been one of his lifelong dreams, and the part of the canyon we'll be going to is managed by the Hualapai tribe which I'm very happy about. If I'm going to get to see something so beautiful, I'd much rather learn about it from the people who were there caring for and living with the land for generations before colonizers came and "discovered" it and I'd much rather have my money for the tour going to the tribe than to Uncle Sam.

[@OrdinisChao]

This should be interesting. We'll give the Black Hills back to the Lakota and the Cheyenne will be like, "What are you doing on OUR land?"

[@TRACI-hk4pg]

❤ love your work

[@magichandsdownes]

a lot of people owned slaves and in this modern world there is still a slave market… i say that because people think we live in a better future when in reality we are still dealing with issues of the past

[@kidmohair8151]

a slight correction. "extractive industries" (what a cute little euphemism) *do* hold *one* thing $acred... maximum profit$.

[@karenabrams8986]

When I toured Capt jacks last stronghold at lavabeds national park I felt horrible there. Couldn’t explain it. Felt really sick and angry touring that place. I hope for these places to go back to the natives.

[@maxq96]

I haven't seen other episodes in this series, so maybe another explains more, but I was kind of hoping he would explain why he was wearing that outfit. This was very eye-opening and I'm sorry I didn't know this history before now. I'm greatful that this taught me so much.

[@RancidGravy]

Papal decrees... some guy somewhere was like "yeah, I think such and such", completely out of touch with reality and other people, and people were like "yeah, okay!". Just like all the other politicians.

[@baneofbanes]

I mean the decrees are literally from the Middle Ages. That’s just how people thought back then. Hell many’s till think that way today.

[@zeezas1241]

I’m so happy this de-colonial content exists and is on my feed!! The colonization of the americas is one of the most gut-wrenching tragedies in history. I’m looking forward to supporting more content like this!

[@WETs3rgullioni]

I love this series so much but it’s also bittersweet. We always talk about reparations. Honestly, there are several groups of people the US owes reparations to. Maybe I’m our lifetime. We need more native people in government. It can still happen !

[@jjdjj5392]

Yep. Thats the way to get things done. Work from the inside.

[@Historiehomme]

Unrealistic expectations on land ownership by people who don't own the land.

[@skallywalla502]

Thank you for making this series. I feel 1000 kinds of stupid for not understanding until NOW how tearing Natives away from their land and forcing them to live according to the colonizers' rules and hierarchical structures, so decimated them (in addition to the thousands of other atrocities). You carry the understanding of connection with all beings, which is why the concept of land "ownership" is so backwards: how can you "own" soil where millions of souls - from the animals to the plants to the tiniest insects that crawl beneath the earth - live? I am grateful to learn about the Land Back movement. And with so much light in the world now, I have a good feeling that things will start to shift, and land will slowly start to come back to those who had lived in harmony with it for tens of thousands of years - soon. 🙏🏻

[@the_hanged_clown]

I did not know the National Parks were all put on sacred lands, but man you guys are preachy!

[@bonniewatt]

I love this series

[@yolandazach]

If you go to South Dakota and spend any time at Custer National Park, just sit and tell me you can't feel the spirit of the earth there. Amazing!❤❤❤❤❤

[@sabretoo]

Omg where did the silly Mt Rushmore thumbnail go?? I actually shared it with my friends lol it was so funny! Well this one is great too! 😅

[@SailorGreenTea]

9:59, tribal nations act, would be a good name change for the Indian act

[@PeterHagstrom]

Thank you for sharing, we all have rights to the earth and someday governments will begin to realize that. Don’t give up, things will change for the better!

[@MrRamencake]

Thank you!

[@the_earth_mystic]

Thank you for your videos, I knew this was going to be a good one. It takes bravery to speak about this subject in our current climate, but this is all the history we needed to learn in schools. My life has been a decolonization and healing process

[@ElRayDelRio]

You would make our ancestor Mikmaq Sagamore Chief Henry Embertou proud with your response to colonialism & gentrification!

[@polanve]

100% of the land was taken from Native Americans. Some of that became public parks, but a whole lot more is in private hands. It would probably be easier for the government to take private land by eminent domain than to undo the park system. I have heard in New York the Native people are saying please just stop the pollution. I think given that so much private land is being polluted with forever chemicals etc there should be a program to return control of the land to the Native people, regardless of whether it's in public or private hands now.

[@sefirunyan9838]

You think Indians don’t Pollute? Maybe 200 years ago

[@baneofbanes]

Yah going around confiscating peoples private property isn’t going to go over well and would only harm pro-native causes.

[@idtfamily]

what is the painting at 00:25 called?

[@sharoneicher7895]

I love watching this KZbin channel. I also want to add, however, that natural spaces can be as sacred to non-natives as to natives. We may just not have the historical ties. I grew up in Northern California and the land where my family lived had a bond to all of us. Losing that land is a constant source of heartbreak. All people have the capacity to love nature and their land as some native Americans do and to suffer from its loss as some Native Americans do.