Culture

Native America

Season 2 of Native America is a groundbreaking portrait of contemporary Indian Country. This four-part Native directed series reveals the beauty and power of today’s Indigenous world. Smashing stereotypes, it follows the brilliant engineers, bold politicians, and cutting-edge artists who draw upon Native tradition to build a better 21st century.

Language Is Life

53m 25s

Celebrate the power of Native languages and the inspirational people who are saving them. From secret recordings to "Star Wars" films dubbed in Navajo, follow the revolutionary steps transforming Native America.

Episodes

  • Language Is Life: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Language Is Life

    S2 E4 - 53m 25s

    Celebrate the power of Native languages and the inspirational people who are saving them. From secret recordings to "Star Wars" films dubbed in Navajo, follow the revolutionary steps transforming Native America.

  • Women Rule: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Women Rule

    S2 E3 - 53m 15s

    Native women are leading, innovating, and inspiring in the arts, politics, and protecting the planet. Native America explores the diverse ways they carry forward deep traditions to better their communities, their lands, and the world.

  • Warrior Spirit: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Warrior Spirit

    S2 E2 - 53m 25s

    Across Native America, warrior traditions support incredible athletes and connect people to combat, games, and glory. Celebrate and honor the men and women who live and breathe this legacy today.

  • New Worlds: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    New Worlds

    S2 E1 - 53m 35s

    Native innovators lead a revolution in music, building, and space exploration. From the surface of Mars to the New York City hip hop scene to the Pine Ridge Reservation, Native traditions are transforming life on Earth and other worlds.

Extras + Features

  • Episode 4 Preview | Language Is Life: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 4 Preview | Language Is Life

    S2 E4 - 30s

    Celebrate the power of Native languages and the inspirational people who are saving them. From secret recordings to "Star Wars" films dubbed in Navajo, follow the revolutionary steps transforming Native America.

  • Navajo Star Wars: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Navajo Star Wars

    S2 E4 - 5m 50s

    May the Fourth is a special night at the West Winds Drive-In in Glendale Arizona where Manny Wheeler is screening Star Wars, dubbed into Navajo. It's one of many innovative ways of preserving Native languages.

  • Language Protectors: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Language Protectors

    S2 E4 - 5m 34s

    Donald Soctomah and Dwayne Tomah are on a mission to keep the Passamaquoddy language alive and get back stolen land. They will be aided by a remarkable discovery - 130-year-old recordings on wax cylinders.

  • Episode 3 Preview | Women Rule: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 3 Preview | Women Rule

    S2 E3 - 30s

    Native women are leading, innovating, and inspiring in the arts, politics, and protecting the planet. Native America explores the diverse ways they carry forward deep traditions to better their communities, their lands, and the world.

  • Fashion Forever: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Fashion Forever

    S2 E3 - 5m 1s

    By embracing her Native identity, Jamie Okuma is breaking down the barriers between Indigenous and mainstream art. Jamie’s work is both high fashion and fine art. Her boots and clothing can be found in the pages of fashion magazines, in major museums, and on the red carpet.

  • Episode 2 Preview | Warrior Spirit: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 2 Preview | Warrior Spirit

    S2 E2 - 30s

    Across Native America, warrior traditions support incredible athletes and connect people to combat, games, and glory. Celebrate and honor the men and women who live and breathe this legacy today.

  • Going for Gold: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Going for Gold

    S2 E2 - 5m 11s

    18-year-old Mariah Bahe, seven time national amateur boxing champion, taps into warrior spirit to achieve her dream of serving in the military and representing the US and Navajo Nation in the Olympics.

  • Solar Warrior: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Solar Warrior

    S2 E1 - 5m 31s

    Henry Red Cloud is creating a sustainable solar powered housing for the Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation using modern materials but based on the design of traditional tipi communities.

  • Episode 1 Preview | New Worlds: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 1 Preview | New Worlds

    S2 E1 - 30s

    Native innovators lead a revolution in music, building, and space exploration. From the surface of Mars to the New York City hip hop scene to the Pine Ridge Reservation, Native traditions are transforming life on Earth and other worlds.

  • Halluci Nation Rocks Brooklyn: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Halluci Nation Rocks Brooklyn

    S2 E1 - 4m 13s

    In a club in Brooklyn, Bear Witness and Tim 2oolman Hill, the duo behind The Halluci Nation, an electronic music group, are putting a new spin on a traditional beat and taking power over how they represent themselves and Indigenous people.

  • Spider Woman on Mars: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Spider Woman on Mars

    S2 E1 - 4m 40s

    NASA engineer Aaron Yazzie and Navajo master weaver TahNibaa Naataanii reflect on the role of weaving in the birth of the universe at the place where it all began: Spider Rock, a holy monument at the heart of sacred Canyon de Chelly.

  • The First Frybread Western: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The First Frybread Western

    S2 - 3m 59s

    Manny Wheeler fights to preserve his people's language by dubbing popular movies like "Star Wars" into Navajo. In looking for their next project, he and his partners turn to westerns, a genre that has a history of misrepresenting Native peoples as primitive, vicious, and violent. "A Fistful of Dollars," the film that launched the Spaghetti Western is about to become the first Frybread Western.

Schedule

  • Image
    Native America: Women Rule: TVSS: Iconic

    Native America

    Women Rule

    Monday
    Dec 9

    1 Hour

    The diverse ways that Native women carry forward deep traditions to better their communities, lands and the world.
  • Image
    Native America: Language Is Life: TVSS: Iconic

    Native America

    Language Is Life

    Monday
    Dec 16

    1 Hour

    The power of Native languages and the inspirational people who save them, from secret recordings to Star Wars films dubbed in Navajo.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.