328 Items Tagged

Indigenous

A gazebo overlooking the largest spring in northwest Arkansas.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Blue Springs Heritage Center

The largest spring in Northwest Arkansas is also home to a sprawling botanical gardens and a historically significant bluff.

In the oral traditions of the Penobscot people, a hideous, birdlike creature protects Mount Katahdin, now the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

The Transformation of Pamola, the Protector of Mount Katahdin

How a fearsome Penobscot Nation legend became a mascot of outdoor adventure seekers.

Sam Schipani October 28, 2022

Despite a wingspan of up to 70 feet and legends about them from coast to coast, thunderbirds are a particularly elusive cryptid in North America.

Beware the Thunderbird, Badass Cryptid of the Skies

The source of storms and an (occasional) kidnapper, the massive ancient beast has inspired muscle cars and jet fighters.

J.W. Ocker October 26, 2022

Whether you call it shunka warak'in, the Rocky Mountain hyena or simply the beast, a mysterious canid preyed upon livestock in Montana in the late 1880s.

Beware Montana’s Shunka Warak’in, the 'Rocky Mountain Hyena'

Is one of these crafty cryptids on display in a small museum?

J.W. Ocker October 19, 2022

Nogales cliff dwelling from further below.

Lindrith, New Mexico

Nogales Cliff House

A rare memento of a lost Indigenous group.

While details of its appearance vary over time and across geography, the Wendigo is always a symbol of hunger and desperation during the coldest season. And Winter is coming.

Beware the Wendigo, the Frostbitten Flesheater of North America’s Chilly Heartland

This terrifying creature has evolved over millennia—but never lost the need to feed.

J.W. Ocker October 12, 2022

"Mamu (Spooky Spirits)," a 2006 painting by Nura Rupert.

Mapping the Many Monsters of Aboriginal Australian Lore

A "terrifying pantheon" of ogres, sorcerers, and malevolent mermaids reflects a diversity in geography and environment.

Christine Judith Nicholls October 10, 2022

Skinwalkers are not hapless victims who fell prey to dark magic—they want to be monsters.

Beware the Skinwalkers, Werewolf Witches of the American Southwest

These canine-humanoid shapeshifters travel between worlds using magical doors.

J.W. Ocker October 5, 2022

A partial reconstruction of a 700-year-old pit house, where it originally stood, on the ancient bank of the Brooks River. A modern hut has been built around it to preserve the site.

King Salmon, Alaska

Brooks River Archaeological District

One of Alaska's most significant ancient sites, spanning millennia and cultures, is right under the feet of some famously fat bears.

Medford, Massachusetts

Sagamore John Burial Monument

The monument is inscribed, "To Sagamore John and those Mystic Indians Whose Bones Lie Here”.

A young spirit bear, part of a genetically unique population found only in Great Bear Rainforest on British Columbia's central coast, is one of many animals First Nations coastal guardians work to protect.

On the Coast of British Columbia, Ancient Stewardship Gets a Modern Spin

From tracking rare spirit bears to responding to disasters, First Nations coastal guardians are on watch.

Ashley Stimpson August 30, 2022

Words and Photos by Ann Pollard Ranco

The Indigenous Origins of the Maine Lobster Bake

Indigenous writer, artist, and activist Ann Pollard Ranco holds a Wabanaki-led lobster bake to explore the provenance of an iconic Maine feast.

Sponsored by The Maine Office of Tourism

Tunglubuk Chi

A dwindling number of brewers still make this tapioca alcohol.

The tortillas come in a rainbow of colors.

Tlacolula de Matamoros, Mexico

Criollito

This Oaxacan restaurant serves native corn and Indigenous recipes.

Birch bark canoe handmade by the Wabanaki.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Reis Education Canoe

The first handmade canoe built by members of the Passamaquoddy in over a century.

Whanganui, New Zealand

Jackson's Rēwena Bread

This bakery sells traditional Māori sourdough.

Sudd wetland

Sudd Wetland

The inhabitants of the world’s largest wetland have learned to navigate its dramatic seasonal changes.

Making acorn mush is a laborious process.

The Indigenous Family Bringing Acorns Back to California Cuisine

The humble nuts were once a staple food.

Elena Valeriote June 22, 2022