American Indian Culture Merit Badge
Five requirements. Identify the cultural areas (1), research one tribe, group or nation across fifteen subjects (2), learn ten terms in a language, ten place names and five leaders (3), describe the settlers' encounter and eight things adopted from American Indians, and learn a game and teach and lead it with a Scout group (4). Then ONE of a museum visit, in person or virtual, or a contemporary American Indian gathering (5).
Elective Merit Badges Culture Merit Badges Requirements Teaching
The plan behind this
Requirement 2: one tribe, group or nation in depth
Research it and tell your counselor about its traditional dwellings, way of life, tribal government, religious beliefs, family and clan relationships, language, clothing styles, arts and crafts, food cultivation, foraging and preparation, means of getting around, games, customs in warfare, and where and how they live today.
Requirements 3 and 4: learning and doing
| part | what it asks |
|---|---|
| 3(a) | learn 10 common terms in an American Indian language and their meanings |
| 3(b) | identify the meaning of 10 place names of American Indian origin in the United States |
| 3(c) | name five well-known American Indian leaders, past or present, with their tribes or nations and what makes them notable |
| 4(a) | describe how life might have been different for the European settlers if there had been no Native Americans to meet them |
| 4(b) | describe eight things adopted by others from American Indians |
| 4(c) | learn a game played by a group or tribe, then teach and lead it with a Scout group |
Requirement 5: ONE of two
| route | what it asks |
|---|---|
| 5(a) museum | visit a museum, in person or virtually, to see American Indian exhibitions and collections; discuss with your counselor what you observed or learned from two exhibitions, and identify 10 artifacts by tribe or nation, their shape, size and use |
| 5(b) gathering | attend a contemporary American Indian gathering; discuss with your counselor proper etiquette for attending, and what you learned and observed during your visit |
What this page is
The American Indian Culture merit badge, drawn so the research of requirement 2 and the game taught to a Scout group stand out, with requirement 5 drawn as a question. It is not a copy of the requirements: each step is a short label with a link to the official requirements, which are what actually governs and which change from year to year. The free official pamphlet is the fuller guide.
Sources for this page
- American Indian Culture Merit Badge Requirements, Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2026-04-29 · The requirements themselves, and the free official pamphlet linked from them.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.0.3 · The process every merit badge is earned through, which this page does not repeat.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.4.3 · Which version of a changed requirement applies to a Scout who has already started.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.0.0.1 · Why the requirements are not in the Guide to Advancement and are expected to change annually.
Last checked against its sources on .