Since 1994, a dedicated group of historians, independent scholars, and activists have added links and resources to this massive gateway website. The project was designed to connect indigenous groups around the world via technology and to provide access to resources on indigenous literature and art, as well as legal and economic issues that could be used as a basis for activism and “ventures in self-determination.” The website’s main page, for example, features news clips and video related to a federal lawsuit brought by the Kawalisu Tribe of Tejon alleging that the U.S. Department of the Interior failed to recognize the tribe’s legitimate claims to land in Kern County, California.

This news feature is just one of more than 5,400 historical and contemporary resources relating to approximately 250 separate nations primarily in the Americas—but also including groups in Africa, New Zealand, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Russia. In addition to the topics above, resources address the environment, religion and spirituality, sports and athletics, food, genealogy, education, and much more. The website links to approximately 1,000 sites with information on books, videos, and music, and more than 40 “hosted pages” for a variety of organizations. The entire site is searchable.

Read a more in-depth review of NativeWeb written by Roger L. Nichols of the University of Arizona.

Or, explore other website reviews at History Matters.