TRIBAL CULTURES AND WAYS

Prior to European contact, tribal nations were vast and through close community relations and geographical ties, traditional ways and customs were intact, self-evident, and passed from one generation to the next. In urban settings such as Denton, tribal citizens may feel somewhat starved of their cultures due to lack of connection to a geographical homeland or direct tribal relations and communities. The Dallas/Fort Worth area does not contain any tribal boundaries or reservations. While many tribal jurisdictions and reservations are able to maintain homogenous, tribally-specific ways, those living in urban areas are often involved in inter-tribal communities like UNT NASA where the traditions of many tribes and cultures meet and exchange. Although this can provide students access to various viewpoints and allow them to develop a multi-faceted Native worldview, many indigenous-identifying students at UNT report feeling unconnected to their tribe's ways due to several barriers :