Indigenous Mapping Day

Google asks tribes to map their lands

Members can add roads, stores, services

By Dalton WalkerGoogle is inviting indigenous people across the world to take time today to add local geographic and commercial features to its online maps.

The company, in partnership with the National Congress of American Indians, is making today its first-ever Indigenous Mapping Day.

Participants must have a Google account to edit or add to maps represented on the popular Google Maps and Google Earth. Participants also must be affiliated with the tribe whose community they plan to map.

Many U.S. tribal communities lack accurate mapping of roads, buildings and other services available to tribal members or the general public, said Sarah Beccio, a spokeswoman for the National Congress of American Indians.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Google Street View in Nunavut and Google Maps in Cherokee.