This Week in Native American News (11/20/2020): Celebrate Native Heritage & Culture
November 20, 2020 - Celebrate Native Heritage
Native American Heritage Month offers ways to talk about culture and tradition
Native American Heritage Month provides a national platform for Indigenous people to shed light on their communities by leading discussions about culture and tradition, educating the public about tribal communities or celebrating culture by wearing traditional footwear for a week.
"The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people," according to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).
"Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges."
Read the Full Story Here
Need some inspiration? Here are a variety of ways to celebrate Native culture:
Screenwriter Suggests Vital, Funny and Beautiful Films to Watch for Native American Heritage Month…
Because November is Native American Heritage Month, here are five Indigenous films that stick with me because I love them as much as any “Wayne’s World” or Van Damme flick.
… and the educational, documentary movie list…
Native Americans: After centuries of encroachment, warfare and neglect, American Indians remain a vital force in the life of America. In this collection, delve into stories from We Shall Remain, a five-part 2009 series on the history and lives of Native Americans, and from other American Experience films. Follow American Experience into the Everglades, where, more recently, in 2018, we interviewed members of the Seminole and Mikasuki tribes, to learn about their families' histories in southern Florida.
… and finally, National Museum of the American Indian Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Its Premier Film Event
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian celebrates the 20th year of presenting Native Cinema Showcase with an online program streaming Nov. 18–27. An annual celebration of Native film, this year’s program features a combination of new works, fan favorite classics and conversations with filmmakers. This year’s program includes a total of 64 films (nine features and 55 shorts) representing 49 Native nations in 12 different countries: United States, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Guatemala, Finland, Ecuador, Norway, Peru, Argentina, Australia and Belize.
How To Bring More Native American Ingredients To Your Thanksgiving Menu
Native American cuisine is experiencing a bit of a Renaissance, with young chefs from across the country shining a light on their ancestor’s cuisines. Since November is Native American Heritage Month and Thanksgiving approaches, it makes sense to learn about indigenous cooking techniques and enjoy native ingredients that still nourish tribal peoples across the country.
10 Brands to Support This Native American Heritage Month (and Always)
Since 1990, the United States has designated November as "National American Indian Heritage Month" to serve as a time for Americans to celebrate and learn more about Indigenous contributions and culture. While this is a worthy goal, it's important that we work to support Native communities all the time — not just for 30 days every year.
Watch This: The Invention of Thanksgiving
“What is Thanksgiving?” In this short film from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Comanche author, essayist, and curator Paul Chaat Smith provides an answer from a different perspective, candidly discussing the lore that Thanksgiving is built upon.
P.S. Keep This in Mind for Next Year’s Christmas Cards!
It’s hard to fit all the news in a little space.
To read all of this week's news, visit the LIM Magazine.
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