‘First America’ Podcast Series Continues with ‘Playing Indian’

July 2, 2026

Did you know that when colonists threw tea into the Boston Harbor they dressed up like Native Americans?

In our continued promotion of the new podcast First America, we’re happy to share Episode 2 of the six-part series. In this episode, Rebecca Nagle goes to Boston with historian Phil Deloria (Dakota descent) to try and understand Americans’ obsession with playing Indian. In the early republic, pretending to be Indian symbolized freedom and helped the colonists form a new, national identity. From boyscouts, to new agers, to sports fans, the American tradition of white people dressing up like Natives never went away.

Listen to Episode 2 here.