It’s Christopher
Columbus Day, and to give an ode to the person who *cough* discovered America,
we’ll help you find out which indigenous lands you’re living on!

No one can deny that
Indigenous people lived in America before Columbus arrived. By the way, here’s a
quick history lesson: He wasn’t even the first European to enter this land. To
make things right, you can stop sharing dumb Columbus memes on Facebook, and
use the latest technology and information to educate yourself.

Find out which
indigenous land you’re currently living on with the help of the Native Land map
available online. It can be used by both iOS and Android. Simply type your
address and view the indigenous groups that once lived here or in the nearby
area. Who knows? Maybe some members of the community might still be living in
those areas, although we’re aware that most of them were displaced due to the
shitty federal policies.

This unique map was created
by Victor G. Temprano who was a Canadian born in Katzie territory but raised in
Okanagan. He started working on the project in 2015. So far, the map shows the
USA, Canada, some areas of Mexico, Australia, South Africa, and some
territories in South Africa.

“I
feel that Western maps of Indigenous nations are very often inherently
colonial, in that they delegate power according to imposed borders that don’t
really exist in many nations throughout history. They were rarely created in
good faith, and are often used in wrong ways.”
– Temprano explains on his site.

Initially, the map was
created as a “kind of resource
pointed at settlers and non-indigenous people to, in a not-too-confrontational
way, start thinking about indigenous history.”

Source: Mashable 

However, the map has
now become a broader source for debates surrounding colonialism and history.
The map is constantly being updated but it can’t be confirmed as a trustful
academic resource. Recently Mapster hired research assistants who helped in
editing the mapped territories after getting more relevant and authentic
historical background.

The fact is that this
map raises a lot of significant questions about our inheritance and background.
It sparks serious conversations regarding colonialism, which is, unfortunately, still ongoing.

“The purpose of the map isn’t supposed to be
a historical curiosity.” – said Temprano.