6 Best American Indian Movies and Shows On Netflix Right Now – Native Americans are America’s indigenous people. While white settlers arrived on the continent some 500 years ago, Native American tribes had been there for at least 15,000 years. So, when you analyze the amount of people that remain, you are obliged to consider the circumstances that have resulted in such a large decrease in their numbers. However, we shall not go into additional detail about this topic. We’ll stay here forever if we start talking about America’s past. This isn’t a history lesson, but understanding the past is essential for understanding the present and the future.

Every year, a significant number of films are produced, but just a small fraction, if any, are centered on the stories of American Indians. They had struggled before the arrival of the Europeans, and they continue to struggle today, with little attention paid to them. Hollywood isn’t helping matters either. There are extremely few films and television series about them, and even fewer of them are available on Netflix. Here is a collection of excellent Native American films available on Netflix.

6. Te Ata (2016)

‘Te Ata,’ directed by Nathan Frankowski, is a biographical film based on the life of Mary Thompson Fisher, a Chickasaw Nation native who dreams of performing on Broadway. Mary undertakes numerous tries and auditions in her ambition to become a well-known artist, only to be rejected. However, her brilliance gradually wins over the skeptics and she becomes a phenomenon. The film pays a wonderful tribute to the great artist’s life while also highlighting the Native American customs that Mary has maintained alive despite cultural change.

5. The Old Ways (2020)

‘The Old Ways,’ directed by Christopher Alender, is a horror film about Cristina Lopez, a Mexican-American reporter. During a visit to her homeland near Veracruz, Cristina becomes entangled in a perilous magical game. Cristina returns to her birthplace in pursuit of a witches news scoop. However, she is kidnapped by a bruja (witch doctor) who believes Cristina is possessed by a demon. The film focuses on the Nahuas tribe, an indigenous people of Mexico and other Central American countries.

4. Frontier (2016-18)

‘Frontier’ is a historical drama series developed by Rob and Peter Blackie that follows Declan Harp, a determined man who aspires to break the Hudson’s Bay Company’s monopoly on fur trafficking in Canada. The series, which depicts the complexity of the fur trafficking sector in North America during the 1700s and 1800s, has gotten mixed reviews from critics. Harp wants to build a counter-resistance to the Bay Company by limiting the risky techniques it employs to maintain its monopoly. Harp’s heritage as a half-Cree criminal adds another dimension of Indigenous culture inquiry to the series.

3. Finding ʻOhana (2021)

‘Finding Ohana,’ directed by Jude Weng, is an adventure film about two New York-raised siblings who journey to Oahu, Hawaii, with their mother. The siblings learn more about their ancestors and the local culture of Oahu while on the island. Soon after, the children become acquainted with their new surroundings and begin on an expedition in search of a long-lost treasure. The film has gotten favorable reviews from critics and offers a family-friendly experience that emphasizes the value of learning about one’s history and background.

2. Basketball or Nothing (2019)

The docuseries ‘Basketball or Nothing’ follows the Chinle High School boys basketball squad. Against all obstacles, the squad aims to win the state title in order to bring honor to their small and remote hamlet. The series is set on the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona, which is a Native American jurisdiction. It emphasizes the hardships of such isolated communities from the contemporary world. Furthermore, a strong sports theme and a genuine picture of life on an Indigenous reservation will definitely entice viewers to watch the series.

1. Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)

When discussing the history of the Apache tribe, Geronimo is a name that is held in high regard. The most prominent thing he is renowned for is uniting the members of his tribe in order to form a resistance against the US government, which seeks to subdue them at every turn while stealing their lands. The plot of the film is based on a slightly romanticized account of events that occurred in 1886. The Apache Indians were compelled to abandon their homeland and relocate elsewhere after the US government established a reservation for them. Because they are in a new environment, the Indians suffer problems, and more friction grows between them and the government when the latter fails to make steps to meet the promises made when the deal was struck. This prompts Geronimo to seek an alternative to begging and reminding. He gathers 30 of his tribe’s strongest warriors and conducts raids on government sites, evading capture when people are sent after them. As a result, a resistance that the government aims to smash grows. Charles Gatewood, one of their best men, is given the duty.