Yellowstone was the first U.S. National Park, established in 1872. But before Yellowstone was established, Indigenous tribes like Shoshone, Blackfoot, and Crow were living on the land for thousands of years. These are stories of their lives before, the lies and dispossession it took to create the park, and the attempted genocide that followed.This episode also takes a look at those communities now, the issues that have followed them for decades following their dispossession, and how their culture lives on.

U.S. National Parks were built on the idea of wilderness preservation, “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Today, millions of people still visit places like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon every year with the idea of escaping an overwhelming digital world to commune with “pristine” nature. What visitors don’t know is who’s land they’re standing on.This podcast is about the Indigenous people who lived, hunted, and created communities on these lands, living reciprocally with nature for centuries before white people arrived. It’s about the racism, violence, and lies that led colonizers and the government to dispossess land from Natives.These actions have unacknowledged consequence for the people and the environment. We’re going to explore how Indigenous communities were able to live through genocide, continue their traditions, and lead America’s most important environmental victories of the past and present.Episodes coming summer 2021. Visit parkspodcast.com for more.