Encouraging, Supporting, and Connecting with Our Community
When I think of community, awareness is one of the first things that comes to mind. We can’t support one another without being aware of what the needs of the community and its members are! This “Awareness” hub is our way to help give direction and support to connecting with people who may need help, uplifting, or even a little extra love today. These causes inspire us and help us take action to do what we can to connect with those around us.
Courtney Clark, HeyNN Manager
Creating Awareness
Creating Awareness
National American Indian Heritage Month
Celebrating Indigenous Culture & Heritage
This November is National American Indian Heritage Month. A month dedicated to honoring the indigenous people who were here before us. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Native Americans make up roughly 3% of the population.
This month is designed to draw awareness and celebrate Native Americans’ unique cultures and traditions. This type of national celebration began in 1916, when American Indian Day was declared by New York, the first state to celebrate it. But it wasn’t until 1986 that it was declared a full week. Four years later, in 1990, George W. Bush officially declared November to be National American Indian Heritage Month.
Before 1492, approximately 10-12 million Native Americans lived in North America. However, this number dwindled to only 306,543 indigenous people within the United States by 1880. Roughly a thousand treaties were made between the U.S. and indigenous tribes, but only half of them were fulfilled. And yet today there are just 574 recognized tribes in the U.S., but there are only 326 reservations for Native Americans, on which less than 30% of indigenous people live.
With these statistics in mind, it’s important to remember the tragedies that occurred during and after the Age of Discovery, which ultimately caused the native population to diminish tremendously by 1880. Many tribes have also lost their languages and traditions due to the U.S. forcing young Native Americans to attend boarding school, where they weren’t allowed to speak their language or practice their traditions. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to recognize and celebrate these cultures to preserve them for future generations.
Ultimately, this month is about honoring the people who came before us and the fascinating traditions and cultural practices that comprised who they were and still are today. We must learn about and recognize these cultural traditions so that, hopefully, their stories and lifestyles won’t be forgotten.
But despite numerous tragedies, Native American individuals and their communities have made countless integral contributions to our society throughout history.
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For one, Native Americans serve five times as much in the army as the average citizen, more than any other ethnicity. Interestingly, Native Americans have also played leadership roles within the Methodist church since the early 19th century. And in agriculture, Indigenous people taught the first European immigrants how to grow and harvest corn.
On top of that, there are several other facts about Indigenous culture that some people are unaware of. For example, tipis are mostly used for cultural ceremonies and gatherings, but not as housing. Or that Native Americans spoke more than 300 different languages before they were colonized. Also, one of the oldest democracies in the world, the Haudenosaunee, consists of five Indigenous tribes: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. Lastly, the Navajo Nation has 400,000 members and 25,000 square miles of land, making it of the largest Native American groups.
Throughout this month, there are several events and opportunities to celebrate Native Americans. From November 11-15, anyone can wear their “Mocs”, a traditional type of shoe worn by Native Americans, and send their photos to @USIndianAffairs on Instagram and X. During the month, you can also attend Powwows (gatherings where indigenous people gather for cultural dances, singing, and eating), festivals, and art shows, where you can learn about their tribes and traditions and listen to their stories.
North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission
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U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs
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Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
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