By Tiffany Crouse
Did you know that November is Native American Heritage Month? Most people don’t.
President Obama announced on Oct 31st, 2014 that Nov 28th will be Native American Heritage Day in 2014.
“Every year, our nation pauses to reflect on the profound ways the First Americans have shaped our country’s character and culture.
The first stewards of our environment, early voices for the values that define our nation, and models of government to our founding fathers — American Indians and Alaska natives helped build the very fabric of America” said President Obama’s proclamation.
According to the White House’s Indian Affairs website, the first American Indian Day was proclaimed in New York in 1916.
It was not until 1976 that former President Gerald Ford nationally declared one week in October for this event.
In 1990 former President George H. W. Bush designated November as Native American Heritage Month.
From then on, November has been a time of remembering Native Americans. For Native American Heritage Day this year’s theme is ‘Native Pride and Spirit: Yesterday, Today, and Forever.’
According to Margaret Noodin, the interim-director of the Electa Quince Institute for American Indian Education, in Ojibwe Milwaukee means “good land.” Noodin shared this with a class at UW-Milwaukee in the beginning of November, while discussing the Ojibwe people and language, for Native American Heritage Month.
Although many people do not know about the significance of this month, there are a number of activities this month that you can attend; courtesy of the American Indian Student Services at UWM.
One of these events is being held at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino on Tuesday, Nov. 18th at 5:30PM.
Dr. Anton Treuer, author of 13 books and Executive Director of the American Indian Resource Center at Bemidji State University, is coming to answer questions and discuss ‘Everything you Wanted to Know about Indians but where Afraid to Ask.’
This event is free and open to the public.
To see more events and celebrations of Native American Heritage check out the AISS site at: http://www4.uwm.edu/aiss/events.cfm.
If you are interested in knowing more about Native American peoples get out to one of these events.
It is the perfect time to learn something new or learn more about something old.
