Honor Native American Heritage Month this november 🍂
Native American Heritage Month celebrates the diverse culture, history, and traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Former President George H. W. Bush officially declared November as Native American Heritage Month in 1990.
November is a great chance for the public to learn about the challenges Native Americans faced in the past and still face today. It's also a perfect time to learn about the many Native communities throughout the country and their traditional celebrations.
Traditional celebrations throughout Native American Heritage Month include:
- Powwows: Gatherings to showcase Indigenous traditions to non-natives. After World War II, these powwows began to honor Native American veterans. 🕯️
- Stomp dance: A dance done by many Eastern Woodland and Southeastern tribes to celebrate the peak of the traditional harvest season. 🌾
- Drum circles: Many Native Peoples beat drums to bring together people of different tribal communities and bring one's spirit to their body and mind. 🥁
Now is a perfect opportunity for DEI training within your workplace fun, engaging ways to honor Native Americans.
Whether your team is in-office, remote, or a mix of the two, it's vital to bring them all together in a way to celebrate Native American heritage and their essential contributions to our country today.
Give these Native American Heritage Month activities a try:
1. Explore the histories, arts, and cultures of Indigenous communities 🎨
Art is a massive part of Indigenous communities, both past and present. Taking time as a team to explore how art has shaped Native American history is a great way to honor Native communities this November.
Many pieces of historical art showcase the lifestyle of Indigenous Peoples, including woven baskets, dishes, and tools. Not only that but Native art has been seen as a way for the creators to pay tribute to their native culture, including religious beliefs and tribal heritage.
How to get started 👉 Consider booking a team experience like Exploring Native American Art. This virtual workshop will help your team explore Native artifacts, sculptures, and art dating back to 1000 BCE.
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2. Take a cultural crafting class 🖌️
Who said learning about other cultures can't be a hands-on experience? There are many cultural crafting classes available for your team. This unique approach to history can give your team a traditional craft to learn about. Plus, the craft can serve as a reminder to everyone about the history of the Native tribes
Talk about a fun way to get an education!
How to get started 👉 Offer your team the chance to participate in a Dream Catcher Making Workshop. Originating with the Ojibwe people, dream catchers are commonly used in Native cultures today - this workshop will teach about their significance and walk your team through making a unique dream catcher to keep.
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3. Host a book club 📚
Want to spark genuine conversation about Native citizens and Indigenous cultures? Consider creating a book club at work. November is the perfect time to read books written by Native American authors.
Books written by Native Americans will give a genuine view of the struggles Indigenous Peoples still face today. Using this approach will help spread awareness better than using a Eurocentric perspective.
Consider choosing one of these popular books written by Native American authors:
- My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones is a murder mystery that touches on the tough subjects of gentrification, Indigenous displacement, and American colonization.
- Apple (Skin to the Core) by Eric Gansworth is a memoir that works to reclaim the slur "apple" by exploring where it originated and the history of government involvement in Native culture.
- The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson is a novel that follows several generations of a Native American family, highlighting their struggles and the perseverance of the women in the family. This is a perfect option if your group wants to highlight Indigenous women.
How to get started 👉 Check out our guide on How to Start a Book Club at Work!
4. Donate to a Native American organization 💵
An impactful way to honor Indigenous Peoples is to donate to their organizations, giving back directly to their communities. Help your team give back directly to the original inhabitants of this country.
Depending on the organization, donations can help provide legal advocacy, healthcare, or education to Native communities. These benefits can go a long way toward assisting Indigenous Peoples to reach their fullest potential and fight against the struggles many families face.
Consider donating to one of these well-known Native American organizations:
How to get started 👉 Consider looking for local institutions or tribes you can donate to and keep your efforts close to home!
5. Learn what Native land your office is built on 🌎
Native American tribes were here long before the first colonists and had settled in most areas of the country. An educational way to honor Native Americans is to bring attention to the tribes who lived on the land you're using.
With this information, you can pay respect to Native Peoples who originally lived in the area by thanking the tribe during meetings or even tagging your company's social media posts with the Native land location during November to get conversations started.
How to get started 👉 Put your location into this map to find what tribe(s) once lived where you work.
6. Explore Native American music and musicians
Native American cultures have a long and storied history with music. Explore the musical instruments Indigenous Peoples used, including drums, flutes, stringed instruments, whistles, and rattles.
You can also explore Native American musicians. From composers like Steven Alvarez to country and folks like Buddy Red Bow, to traditional musicians, such as flutists Robert Tree Cody and Joseph FireCrow, there’s a wide world of music to explore.
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Confetti!
No matter how you choose to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Confetti wants to help. When selecting ways to celebrate Native Peoples, add a Confetti team-building activity to your agenda!
Get in touch to start planning your Native American Heritage Month celebration today!
