Land

Title

Land

Description

Book section from Native Studies Keywords examining the perspectives and history of the term and concept of “land” in Native American studies projects. Land relates to other terms like sovereignty, belonging, rights, and responsibility.

Abstract

Native struggles with colonial powers have generally centered on land, and consequently land is a crucial concept within Native studies projects. Land invokes and is related to such terms as sovereignty, belonging, rights, and responsibility.1 Land has both material and metaphorical power for Native communities because many indigenous cosmologies are inextricably linked to their land bases. The importance of land stretches far beyond its role as the space on which human activity takes place; for Natives it is a significant source of literal and figurative power. Within Native studies, land has been theorized as the living entity that enables indigenous life. Not surprisingly, Native lands are targeted for resource extraction and con- tinue to be subject to colonial expropriation.

Is Part Of

Native Studies Keywords

State of the Salish Sea

Publisher

The University of Arizona Press

Creator

Stephanie Nohelani Teves

Andrea Smith

Michelle Raheja