Native American Heritage Month also takes place during the month when we honor military service. To many Native people this is a logical coincidence; military service is often deeply revered in many Native communities. These sentiments might seem incongruous given the history of U.S. policy regarding Native Americans. Yet Native people have legacies of respecting [...]

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One of the most popular ways to participate in Native American culture today is to attend a powwow.  I live in Austin, Texas, which yearly hosts one of the largest free, one-day powwow in the United States. 50,000 people gather to dance or watch the dancers, shop at vendors of clothing, jewelry, and other cultural [...]

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Welcome to Native American Heritage Month!
Each November, Native peoples are more prominent in the news. We can attribute this attention not only to Native American Heritage Month and school curriculum but also the anniversary of the first Thanksgiving and harvest’s end. With the broadcast of We Shall Remain on PBS stations this past April and May, students as well as [...]

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As National Native American Heritage Month draws closer, students and educators may have more questions about both historical and contemporary Native life. One topic of continuing interest is that of federal recognition, which was recently in the headlines with New York governor David A. Paterson’s endorsement of the Shinnecock tribe’s bid for federal recognition. When [...]

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