History
The reservation system in the United States grew out of the government’s desire to remove Native peoples from desirable land while also keeping them under close control. Beginning in the early 1800s, treaties and acts of Congress created designated lands where tribes were forced to relocate. By the late 19th century, reservations became the dominant federal policy, not only in the Great Plains and Midwest, but also across California and the West.
Large areas of land (often in remote or less fertile regions) set aside by treaty or executive order for specific tribes. These were supposed to be permanent homelands, but boundaries were reduced repeatedly. By 1887, through the Dawes Act, tribal lands were broken into individual allotments, and “surplus” land was sold to settlers. This led to the loss of more than 90 million acres of Native land between 1887–1934.
Beginning in the early 1900s, after widespread land loss, the federal government created small plots called rancherías. Unlike large reservations, these were tiny parcels, sometimes only a few acres, intended for landless California tribes. There are currently about 75 recognized rancherías in California, many of which were the result of land purchases between 1906–1934.
In places like Round Valley, California (originally called the Nome Cult Farm), the government experimented with centralized “farms” where multiple tribes were forced to live together and labor in agricultural work. The idea was to “teach” farming and assimilation, but often it simply meant free labor for the government while Native families starved.
Especially in California, small villages sprang up near towns, missions, and ranches where displaced Native families settled when they were excluded from their original homelands. Many of these villages were unrecognized legally, which meant the residents had no official rights to the land. Some villages later became the foundation for modern tribes and communities.
Some tribes within the United States still refer to their communities as villages rather than a reservation. The Hopi, for example, although legally called the Hopi Reservation, tribal members refer to their towns as villages, having never been relocated as a tribe and still living in their original villages on top of three mesas in Arizona. This is also affectionately referred to as, Hopiland.
As Native communities were stripped of traditional food sources, the federal government began distributing commodities, surplus foods such as lard, flour, sugar, and canned goods. These were offered as “rations” but often replaced traditional diets of fish, game, and gathered foods. Over time, this shift contributed to high rates of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health issues that remain prevalent today.
Commodity cheese, a processed block cheese distributed widely in the 20th century, became infamous in Native households. While it was filling, it symbolized the replacement of traditional, nutritious foods with unhealthy government-issued substitutes.
“The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.”
“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
Even in the face of unjust systems, God’s Word assures us that His justice is not absent and His love for the oppressed is constant. Native communities continue to live, thrive, and reclaim what was lost.
Life on reservations is a picture of contrasts. Some families still live without running water or electricity, while others, especially where casinos provide income, have modern schools, clinics, and resources to care for their people. Yet everywhere you’ll find the same heartbeat of community: children playing in the sunshine, rez dogs trotting between homes, potlucks and family gatherings where food and love are shared. Despite challenges, Native communities remain strong, resilient, and deeply rooted in tradition and hope.