National Native American Heritage Month
National Native American Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of the traditions and cultural contributions of Native American nations within the United States.
National Native American Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of the traditions and cultural contributions of Native American nations within the United States.
Renee Harleston
Reviewer URLDate: November
Names: National Native American Heritage Month, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
National Native American Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of the traditions and cultural contributions of Native American nations within the United States.
Origin
National Native American Heritage Month grew from the 1915 celebration of American Indian Day. Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a member of the Seneca Nation, first proposed the day to the Boy Scouts of America, who then set aside a day of celebration for the “First Americans.”
In 1915, at the annual Congress of the American Indian Association, the second Saturday of May was declared as American Indian Day. This declaration also contained a formal appeal to acknowledge the citizenship of Native Americans. New York state went on to declare American Indian Day in 1916. Several states followed, and various states still observe a day to honor Native Americans at some point in the year. But the day was never federally recognized.
In 1990, under president George H.W. Bush, November was declared Native American Indian Heritage Month. Since 1994, the month has been recognized (under various names, such as “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month”) by presidential proclamation or statute.
Traditions
The Department of the Interior, Indian Affairs division, assigns a theme to each National Native American Heritage Month. In 2022, the theme was “Revitalizing Indigenous Connections.”
As a month of awareness and education (as well as celebration), National Native American Heritage Month is about the present and the future of Native Americans. Political issues, like renaming and repatriation efforts, are at the forefront during the month. Renaming efforts include changing the names of landmarks and towns which include slurs for Native Americans. Repatriation is an effort to return human remains, cultural objects and other sacred items to the Native American nations from which they were taken. Such items were frequently stolen throughout U.S. history for display in museums and other non-Native institutions.
For those who are not Native and want to celebrate, National Native American Heritage Month is a good time to learn about the diverse cultures of Native American nations throughout the United States. There are 574 federally recognized nations within the now-United States, each with its own culture and traditions.
What to do
There is no traditional greeting for Native American Heritage Month. For those who are not Native, the best way to celebrate is to educate yourself. Research nations local to your area and learn their history. Read about Native American history and learn about the struggles of Native Americans today. Native Americans face ongoing issues of discrimination, access to health services, access to the internet and dislocation. Native American women face additional crises, including increased risk of sexual assault.
The First Nations Development Institute suggests books like The Eagle Bird: Mapping a New West by Charles F. Wilkinson or Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations & The U.S. Constitution by Oren Lyons.
Watch Native-led TV shows like Rutherford Falls or Reservation Dogs or listen to podcasts like All My Relations or This Land. To see the news from a Native perspective, listen to the daily podcast National Native News.