How to Respectfully Visit Indigenous Places

Indigenous Nations are, in many ways, like countries within a country. This diversity offers travelers extraordinary opportunities to broaden their cultural horizons. But it also means you’ll encounter customs and worldviews you’re not familiar with, plus differing rules and laws. And keep in mind that wherever you are in the United States, you are on ancestral lands of Native communities. When you’re visiting a cliff dwelling in a national park, the descendants of the original inhabitants are still around, and many believe their ancestors reside in these places. It’s important to approach all Indigenous places and people with respectful sensitivity. And when in doubt—as well as when it’s required—hire a Native guide.

Adhere to local laws and regulations.

Be attentive to signs, online instructions, and your guides’ advice about local rules that may prohibit entry to sacred areas or forbid drones or other kinds of documentation. For example, in Hopi villages, all types of recording are forbidden, including video, photography, sketching, and note-taking. Always ask permission before photographing or recording people and places in Tribal Nations. Also note that in Tribal Nations, alcohol is only permitted in designated areas.

Be mindful of varying customs.

Indigenous customs differ between communities and generations, so it’s difficult to navigate them perfectly. But in Tribal Nations, you’ll generally receive an understanding welcome as long as you’re respectful. When in doubt, ask your Native guide questions, and try not to make assumptions about people’s behaviors. For example, many Diné people consider it impolite to make direct, sustained eye contact. They may also be reluctant to hug, shake hands, or exuberantly talk with people they don’t know well. So if your guide is reserved and looks away from you, it could be a sign of respect.

Refrain from touching or taking objects.

In some places, you can walk through ancient pueblos or hike across ancestral lands where you might see intriguing items such as pottery shards. But be careful not to touch these buildings and objects. They’re fragile, and even the natural oils on your hands can harm them. Absolutely do not move or take any objects. Many are considered sacred and protected, and they belong to the land and its people. Do not touch modern or ancient shrines or Native people’s clothing, jewelry, instruments, and other belongings.

Support Indigenous communities.

At some sites, you can access overlooks or certain locations on your own or with a non-Native guide. But traveling with a Native guide often allows you to delve further into destinations while gaining deeper, perspective-shifting insights into cultures and lands. You’ll also be supporting Indigenous people’s livelihoods and ability to live and work on the lands of their families and ancestors. When shopping for jewelry, art, and other objects, try to support Native businesses and craftspeople, rather than non-Native people who are profiting through appropriating Native traditions.

Listen with an open mind.

When traveling in Native lands, you may hear stories of the past that are painful to face. You may hear ideas about spirituality or lifeways that are new to you. You may hear oral histories that don’t match up with the archaeological consensus you’ve learned. In some cases, scientists have found evidence that these oral histories are correct, and the consensus has changed. But in any case, you’ll have the best experience (and be the most respectful) if you look forward to having your views challenged and glimpsing new ways of seeing humans’ relationships with nature, places, objects, and each other. Feel very free to ask questions of your guides, with the goal of broadening your knowledge, rather than debating.

Learn about the history of Indigenous lands from Indigenous viewpoints.

During the westward colonization of the country, the U.S. government sanctioned war, massacre, land theft, kidnapping, cultural annihilation, deliberate starvation, broken treaties, and the forced removal of Native Americans from their homelands. Yet school lessons, films, books, and websites often gloss over, misrepresent, and romanticize this history. That’s why it’s essential to seek out information from a variety of Indigenous perspectives, before and during your travels.

Though no one is culpable for what happened before they were born, the consequences of these events remain actively present in people and places in the U.S. And the colonial mindset toward humans and nature that caused these things to happen is still very much alive. Through education—including engaging sensitively with Indigenous communities while traveling—everyone has the power to make a difference.