Hello Meltingpot Community,
Did you know November is National Native American Heritage Month? It’s okay if you didn’t or it slipped your mind. It’s only November 11 which means we still have three weeks left to turn our attention to celebrating and honoring the people’s whose land we now live on.
Of course, when it comes to “celebrating” there’s always some confusion. I know I get confused. I’m like, ‘I’m not Native American, so what should I be celebrating?” The thing is, these national heritage months that highlight specific ethnic groups are not meant to signal a 30-day party with catered food from Ethnic Eats Our Us. On the contrary, they are supposed to remind us to take the time to learn, appreciate and yes, celebrate the contributions these different ethnic communities have made to our nation and even globally.
Five Ways to Participate in National Native American Heritage Month
Since we’re already 11 days into National Native American Heritage Month, I thought I’d give you five easy ways to get into the groove and participate in this important month of recognition. And of course, most of these ideas you can share with your children.
1. Read a Good Book: No big surprise that I’m going to recommend reading, but I stand by reading as the fastest and easiest way to educate ourselves without putting the burden on the “other” to teach their culture. Also, there are so many great book written by Native American people, for adults and children, that explore Native American life and history. Bonus, you don’t have to only read these great books in November! Check out this powerful 2019 list from Electric Literature of novels and memoirs of the Native American experience. And check this list for books for kids and teens.
2. Listen to a Podcast with your Kids: I know, sometimes we just don’t have time to read to our kids. No judgement. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be teaching them about Native American cultures. And guess what? There’s a new kids’ podcast about Native Americans by Native Americans that you can download and listen to while driving to soccer practice, school, etc. The podcast is called, Molly of Denali and is all about the adventures of an Alaska Native girl. Bonus, there’s also a TV series, so the fun never stops.
3. Listen to a Podcast By Yourself: I listen to podcasts every morning when I walk my dog and when I’m commuting to work. Rather than listening to yet another crime show, in the month of November, why not challenge yourself to listen to at least one Native American themed podcast every day. Here’s a list to get you started, but you can also just Google best Native Podcasts and see what comes up. Like every other podcast category, you’ll find podcasts that are funny, serious, informative and politically focused.
4. Show Up and Show Support: Reading and listening to podcasts are really great ideas and have a super low barrier to entry. That’s why I recommend them for everyone. But real change happens when we move beyond our comfort zones and put some skin into the game. Because November is National Native American Heritage Month, it should be easy to find activities and events that you can attend where you will actually interact with Native American people. From film screenings to flea markets, do a search and see what’s coming up in your area where you can participate. This is important for two reasons. 1) Real-life interaction is is far more impactful than reading a book. 2) If you attend a film screening, or a play, or any other type of event where money is going into the hands of Native American people, then you are supporting their continued survival and success, which we all know is continuously under threat.
5. Reconsider Thanksgiving: It’s no coincidence that Native American Heritage Month falls in the month when we celebrate Thanksgiving. Indeed, Thanksgiving is sadly often the only time Americans pause for a moment to actually think about Native Americans and usually that thinking is plagued with historical inaccuracies and false impressions of happy “Indians.” The truth is, for many Native Americans, Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday, it’s a day of mourning. Listen to Episode one of the My American Meltingpot podcast to hear how the myth of Thanksgiving has been so detrimental to Native American people and for ideas as to how one might rethink the holiday this year.
Bonus idea: Just pay attention to the news and newsmakers from the Native American community. You don’t need to become an expert on all things Native American, but you should pay attention to what’s happening to this community. Sadly, the mainstream media does a horrible job reporting on Native American issues so it is easy to assume all is well. Newsflash, it’s not. Use social media to plug in and stay current. Try following some Native American activists on Twitter and/or Instagram so you can stay informed.
There you have it, Meltingpot community. What suggestions do you have? I’d love to hear how you are acknowledging Native American Heritage Month?
Peace!
