Long before the bald eagle was an American icon, the bird was important to Indigenous nations. But eagle populations have suffered in recent years. That’s why the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s Grey Snow Eagle House has rehabbed hundreds of raptors over the last 20 years.
Iowa council member Abraham Lincoln (no relation to the American president) says the work has a deeper meaning for the tribe. “The bald eagle is on everything from dollar bills and coins to t-shirts to flags,” he said. “Now, when you talk about Indigenous ways, especially the Ioway people across Indian country. It's all relatively the same. For us, it's our connection to God.”