Native American Maps Cartography And Geographic Knowledge

Leo Migdal
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native american maps cartography and geographic knowledge

Have a question? Need assistance? Use our online form to ask a librarian for help. The selected materials below focus on Native American maps, map-making, and other related geographic information. The print materials below link to fuller bibliographic information about each title in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.

This land acknowledgement recognizes that Indigenous people are traditional guardians of the land and that there is an enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and these traditional territories. Our School recognizes, advocates, and supports the sovereignty of the four-federally recognized tribes of Kansas, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas... This acknowledgement reminds us to continue advocating for and supporting Native students, staff, and faculty while working towards decolonizing the systems of power and oppression. - KU School of Social Welfare 2021 Common Work of Art Native Host, Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds We can help with your research questions -- contact us by chat, phone, email, text or at a Research Help desk.

If you prefer a paper copy, that's an option! We will reach out later this summer to encourage students to request paper copies. If you are faculty or staff interested in including the book in your fall courses, please complete the form at: Get the Book This section of the guide suggests specific geographic and mapping resources related to Indigenous peoples, Indigenous land sovereignty, and treaties. It is important to note that most geographic names and categories are often different from the placenames Indigenous peoples use for their ancestral lands. Not all tribes offer public access to mapping of their lands, as tribal land information is proprietary.

For example, the Uintah and Ouray are a sovereign nation and do not share their maps with the public. Please consult tribal governments directly with requests for mapping. This page highlights cartography produced by and for Native American or Indigenous peoples. There may be more materials available, whether here in the Northwestern University Libraries' collection or in other libraries, but this is the beginning of an effort to raise awareness and use of these materials. In addition to these materials the collections include many maps and atlases about Native American and Indigenous peoples that are not listed here representing territories, reservations, histories, cultures, languages, and more that have been... To view these maps, please email govinfo@northwestern.edu and make an appointment.

The map cases are locked and located in an unstaffed area of the University Library (Lower Level, Room B190). Carapella, Aaron. Aboriginal First Nations : Our Own Names & Locations. Aaron Carapella, 2013. Government Info Map Collection Lower Level Room B190 G3401.E1 2013 .C37 Carapella, Aaron.

Native American Nations : Our Own Names & Locations. Aaron Carapella, 2013. Government Info Map Collection Lower Level Room B190 G3701.E1 2013 .C38 Carapella, Aaron. Proposed Pipelines in Tribal Homelands. Tribal Nations Maps, 2016.

Government Info Map Collection Lower Level Room B190 G3301.P4 2016 .C37 The big picture: Historical maps tell powerful stories about how indigenous lands were documented and often erased from colonial records. You’ll discover how native communities fought to maintain their territorial knowledge despite systematic attempts to remove their presence from official cartography. Explore history's most significant maps with *Great Maps*. This book delves into cartographic masterpieces and their historical context. Why it matters: These five compelling examples reveal how indigenous peoples used maps as tools of resistance while colonial powers weaponized cartography to justify land seizures and cultural erasure.

What’s next: Understanding these historical representations helps you recognize how indigenous mapping traditions continue to challenge Western cartographic dominance today. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you! Have a question? Need assistance? Use our online form to ask a librarian for help.

Maps drawn by Indians and Indian mapping abilities have been documented in a number of sources, but because of their ephemeral nature, relatively few Indian-created maps exist today. The indigenous population was often sought out by European explorers to guide or provide geographical information about unknown lands, and Indian guides were also often enlisted to provide reconnaissance data for military and commercial... The cartographic and geographic information provided by Indian guides could appear in the explorer's report and might eventually be incorporated into published maps. Maps drawn by Indians, as well as evidence of their contributions to European-created maps, are valuable and rare documents for studying Indian peoples' geographical knowledge and spatial understanding. They complement the oral record, and they also help establish and clarify the Indians' role as guides and informants in furthering European explorations in North America. The Geography and Map Division does not have original examples of Native American cartography that pre-date European contact, but it has two eighteenth-century manuscripts created by Indians for use by Europeans and a few...

The maps in this section have been digitized by the Library and are available for viewing and download online. Select the link on the map or in the caption to view a copy of the map that can be enlarge to view the detail. Mathematician Thomas Harriot and artist John White were among the first English colonists settled at Roanoke Island in 1585. Their manuscript map of the Outer Banks was revised and engraved by Theodore de Bry, and published in 1590 to accompany his reprint of Harriot's A briefe and true report of the new found... The map covers the North Carolina Coastal Plain, including the Chesapeake Inlet, Pamlico and Albermarle sounds, and Roanoke Island, and extends westward to the sources of the rivers of the sounds. It includes information derived directly from Native American sources and observations, such as the names and locations of Native American villages, most palisaded as in their actual construction; pictorial representations of individual Indians, taken...

This map, based upon a three-month survey by boat by Captain John Smith and a small party of colonists, is the first published map of the Chesapeake Bay region. The copy here accompanied the 1624 edition of Smith's The generall Historie of Virginia. Sailing up the major rivers flowing into the bay from the west, Smith and his party encountered numerous Native American villages, in the process recording their names and populations. The legend on the map and its concomitant symbols differentiates between areas and features that have been discovered by the English and those learned about by Native American informants. Indeed, the Maltese crosses on each river indicates the extent of the party's actual personal knowledge, versus the remainder reported as being taken from instructions furnished to them by local Indians. A cartouche in the upper left hand corner illustrates the chief of the Powhatan federation of Indians in council.

Sarah Lee AI generated Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E-Instruct-FP8 6 min read · May 26, 2025 Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash Indigenous cartography is a vital aspect of Native American and Indigenous Studies, as it explores the intersection of geography, culture, and identity. At its core, Indigenous cartography is about reclaiming and reasserting Indigenous peoples' connections to their lands, territories, and resources. In this article, we will delve into the definition and significance of Indigenous cartography, its historical context, and its contemporary relevance. Indigenous cartography refers to the practice of creating maps that reflect the geographical knowledge, cultural practices, and spiritual connections of Indigenous peoples.

These maps are not just spatial representations but also embody the history, identity, and worldviews of Indigenous communities. Indigenous cartography is significant because it challenges dominant Western cartographic practices that have historically erased or marginalized Indigenous geographies. "Indigenous cartography is a powerful tool for Indigenous peoples to reclaim their territories, revitalize their cultures, and resist the ongoing legacies of colonialism." 1

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Have A Question? Need Assistance? Use Our Online Form To

Have a question? Need assistance? Use our online form to ask a librarian for help. The selected materials below focus on Native American maps, map-making, and other related geographic information. The print materials below link to fuller bibliographic information about each title in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to digital content are provided when available.

This Land Acknowledgement Recognizes That Indigenous People Are Traditional Guardians

This land acknowledgement recognizes that Indigenous people are traditional guardians of the land and that there is an enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and these traditional territories. Our School recognizes, advocates, and supports the sovereignty of the four-federally recognized tribes of Kansas, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, the Sac and Fox N...

If You Prefer A Paper Copy, That's An Option! We

If you prefer a paper copy, that's an option! We will reach out later this summer to encourage students to request paper copies. If you are faculty or staff interested in including the book in your fall courses, please complete the form at: Get the Book This section of the guide suggests specific geographic and mapping resources related to Indigenous peoples, Indigenous land sovereignty, and treat...

For Example, The Uintah And Ouray Are A Sovereign Nation

For example, the Uintah and Ouray are a sovereign nation and do not share their maps with the public. Please consult tribal governments directly with requests for mapping. This page highlights cartography produced by and for Native American or Indigenous peoples. There may be more materials available, whether here in the Northwestern University Libraries' collection or in other libraries, but this...

The Map Cases Are Locked And Located In An Unstaffed

The map cases are locked and located in an unstaffed area of the University Library (Lower Level, Room B190). Carapella, Aaron. Aboriginal First Nations : Our Own Names & Locations. Aaron Carapella, 2013. Government Info Map Collection Lower Level Room B190 G3401.E1 2013 .C37 Carapella, Aaron.