Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

November is National Native American Heritage Month. This serves as a time to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of Native people and honor their rich and vibrant cultures.  

Both Natives and non-Natives can celebrate this month by learning more about Native culture and supporting the Native community. Here are five ways you can get involved.  

Read up on Native culture 

A great way to learn more about Native American culture is by reading works by Native authors. We like this list by Electric Literature.  Some great Native authors to keep an eye out for include Joy Harjo, Tommy Orange, Louise Erdich and Sherman Alexie. Keep in mind not all these authors’ books are historical accounts — some include fiction, horror and romance. Either way you’re sure to learn more about Native culture through these stories. 

Attend or host a virtual event 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many events celebrating Native American Heritage Month are now being held virtually. Join a session from the comfort of your home and learn from influential Native voices. Find a virtual event to attend for free at www.nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov.   

Another fun, socially distant idea is to watch a Native film. You can find a list of great films online here. Invite friends to watch from their own homes and have a conversation about the film via FaceTime or Skype! 

Support Native businesses 

Did you know consumers spend trillions of dollars each year on e-commerce sales? By expanding to online sales, Native businesses are able to tap into markets beyond geographical confines and borders. We love this list by Beyond Buckskin, that includes Native shops selling jewelry, art, food, clothing, books and more! Don’t forget to shop our website for Native-made food, health, beauty and wellness items and get free shipping on $25 or more! 

Try a Native American dish 

Native American cuisine goes beyond fry bread and Indian Tacos. Check out our YouTube channel for a variety of  easy-to-cook Native American dishes. Some of our favorites are Indian Corn Soup, Smoked Salmon Pasta and Bison Loaf. We’ve also compiled a list of our favorite Indigenous cookbooks to add to your reading list!  

Boost Native voices  

Do your social media feeds include Native voices? If not, we have you covered! Follow some Native activists, organizations and influencers to diversify your news feed. Below are some to get you started, but we encourage you to keep exploring. There are so many Native voices to be heard! 

News organizations: Indian Country Today, Indianz.com, National Native News 

Twitter accounts: @mariahgladstone, @VinceSchilling, @YazzieSays 

Tik Tok accounts: @the_land, @kkymonn, @indigenous_baddie  

Instagram accounts: @misscheyennekippenberger, @indigenouswomenhike, @__coyotl__