Video Playlist: Stories of Native Americans
7 videosExperience powerful stories of Native American life — ancient, historical, and modern — in this inspiring playlist from the BBC. Featuring authentic video clips from BBC News reports and acclaimed BBC documentaries, students will experience a vivid, first-hand look at the voices, traditions, and challenges of Indigenous peoples across North America.
They’ll explore the Iroquois Constitution, a foundational document that influenced democracy itself; discover the remarkable cliffside cities at Mesa Verde; and learn how Native communities are leading buffalo restoration efforts that bring both ecological and cultural renewal. Students will also see the beauty of traditional arts like hoop dance and gain perspective on the political and community issues shaping Native life today.
These stories offer an unforgettable window into Indigenous identity, resilience, and connection to the land — helping students better understand both the past and the living cultures that continue to shape our world.
Lesson Express
Q: What was the hoop dance originally used for?
A: The hoop dance was originally a ceremony performed to bring someone back into balance or harmony.
Q: How does the hoop dance help the youth who are performing it?
A: It gives them a sense of pride in their culture and connectedness.
Q: What does an “arrow in their quiver” mean?
A: It means that the hoop dance is one thing that the youth have to support them as they move through the world.
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In Inside a Village of Reindeer Herders, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how a small village of reindeer herders has stopped for a few days to rest. But when it’s time to move on, they can pack up and move to the next location within a few hours. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
In Modern Reindeer Herders' Life on the Tundra, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces the Dolgan, a group of reindeer herders in Siberia. They have herded reindeer for generations, prompting and prodding docile reindeer to move from one place to another. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
In Inside a Village of Reindeer Herders, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how a small village of reindeer herders has stopped for a few days to rest. But when it’s time to move on, they can pack up and move to the next location within a few hours. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
In Modern Reindeer Herders' Life on the Tundra, narrator Sir David Attenborough introduces the Dolgan, a group of reindeer herders in Siberia. They have herded reindeer for generations, prompting and prodding docile reindeer to move from one place to another. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.