Native Language
This language has the most speakers
Navajo/Dine’
This lake has the longest Indigenous name
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg - translates to "You fish on your side, I fish on my side, nobody fishes in the middle"
This state has the largest land area dedicated to Native lands
Arizona contains the most land dedicated within a single state
These are considered the Four Sacred Medicines
Tobacco, Cedar, Sage, & Sweetgrass
First Native to win a Gold Medal
Jim Thorpe- Pentathlon and Decathlon in 1912!
This was the first language to be printed
Cherokee- Cherokee Phoenix newspaper in 1828- it was printed in both Native and. English.
This is the most commonly used Indigenous language word in English
Chicago- Algonquin from the word: shikaakwa means “striped skunk” or “wild onion” Europeans adopted the name due to area‘s wild garlic plants
This state has the largest Native Population
California
This common OTC med comes from the Willow Bark
Aspirin- tribes like the Cheyenne passed the knowledge of the bark for pains and fever reduction to Europeans
First Natives to win a Grammy
Tom Bee & Douglas Spotted Eagle- for producing the album: Gathering of Nations in 2001
This is one of the oldest languages that’s still in use but never spoken
Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL)
This language has contributed the most words commonly used in English
Algonquin- approximately 150 words
This city has the largest Native population
NYC
This area of medicine is growing the fastest among indigenous communities
Psychology- more and more indigenous people are recognizing the need for mental health to deal with the various traumas- historically, socioeconomic, cultural displacement, and PTSD
First Native to win an Oscar
Buffy Sainte-Marie for Best Original Song- Up Where We Belong, from An Officer and a Gentleman in 1983
This is the rarest Native American language
Sarsi- it’s related to Navajo spoken by a tribe much further North in what is now Calgary, Canada- its entirely Oral with. O evidence of a written version with only 170 people know to be able to speak it!
The is the longest Indigenous language word (USA)
miinibaashkiminasiganibiitoosijiganibadagwiingweshiganibakwezhigan, a 66-letter word meaning "blueberry pie” in Ojibwe
This state has the most Indigenous events in a year
New Mexico- with The Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque and the Santa Fe Indian Market just being some of the most popular
This percentage of plant based drugs used by physicians are derived from traditional Indigenous medicine
Approximately 75% of over 120 plant based drugs! Those meds cover common pain relievers, antibiotics, and even some Chemotherapy treatment!
First Native to earn a Gold Record
Redbone for 1974 single- Come and Get Your Love
This Native land is considered one of the world’s most Endangered Languages
Patwin- from the North California regions, currently only has 1 documented 1st language speaker!
The longest indigenous word or place in the world
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu- Māori
This Sport has had the most Pro Players that were of Native Decent
Football- there have been hundreds! with many currently playing!
This tribal nation has the only Tribal Medical school in the United States
Cherokee- Oklahoma State University of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, started in 2020 to boost native drs to treat patients in rural areas.
First Native to earn a Platinum Record
R. Carlos Nakai, Navajo-Ute flutist for his 1989 album Canyon Trilogy, it reached platinum status in 2014!