Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month. A time for us to pay tribute to the ancestry and traditions of the first Americans. The people and culture of Native Americans were met with tragedy many times over as Europeans filtered into the New World, looking for riches and putting down flags, claiming the land as their own. The first Americans faced slavery and war, being defeated by guns and disease.

But the traditions and culture of the first Americans remains to be an important part of history. Our history. And much of their heritage, beliefs and traditions teach us about respecting the Earth and using resources wisely. Something we often forget about in our technology-rich society.

We are incorporating Native American History into several areas of study this month at my house. As we studied astronomy last week, we learned about constellations and how they change through the seasons. After learning about the Earth’s rotation and winter constellations, we looked into Native American legends about the constellations. We found a website that featured Native American Star Mythology and read the story, “The Hunting of the Great Bear”. It told us of the great hunters who tracked the monster bear with their dog, who finally caught the trail of the bear. They hunted him until they caught him and realized that they had chased him all the way into the sky. After a great feast over an open fire, the spirit of the bear returned and the hunt began again. Legend has it, the big dipper is the great bear, and the stars in the handle of the constellation are the great hunters chasing him.

We went to the library and found a fantastic book called “A Kid’s Guide to Native American History”. The book provides a lot of excellent reference material about many different tribes and regions. It also includes over 50 activities to do with your kids. From making a corn husk doll to a Delaware Storyteller Bag, there are many fun activities to enjoy that will enrich the learning of Native American cultures.

Want to learn more about Native American History? There are many events across the nation this month paying tribute to Native Americans. Search the Native American Heritage website to see if there is an event near you.

Do you live in southern California? The Autry Museum in Los Angeles has many wonderful exhibits with a spotlight on Native American Culture. Visit the Historic Southwest Museum Mt. Washington Campus for a more extensive field trip. Here you will find the Southwest Museum of the American Indian Collection. It is the second largest collection of Native American objects in the United States and is widely regarded as one of the finest collections in the world. You will find artifacts ranging from prehistory to the present.

Knott’s Berry Farm also has a few great Native American features. Attend the award-winning live show at Mystery Lodge where you’ll watch, learn, and listen to a great story based on cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Watch the live dancers on the Indian Trails Stage. And keep an eye out around the park for special features like the tipis, totems, and maps (like the one in the photo above).

Finally, nature centers often share bits about the heritage of the people who occupied the land before the roads and cities were built. Check with your local nature center to see if they have special exhibits or information on the Native Americans who lived in your area.