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About
It was in Presidential Proclamation 6230 that George H.W. Bush paid tribute to the rich history and culture of the American Indian tribes. Each year since 1990 the president has proclaimed November the designated National Native American Heritage Month. Congress chose the month of November because this is generally the end of the traditional harvest season and a time of celebration. It is also a time for all American people to honor the achievements of indigenous communities and celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions these peoples contribute to our collective history. In addition, November is a time to raise awareness about the challenges native people have faced in the past as well as in the present and how they have worked to conquer these challenges. Origins
The origins of Native American Heritage Month can be traced back to the early 20th century, specifically to the efforts of Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca archaeologist and historian, who advocated for a day to honor Native Americans, leading to New York State becoming the first to recognize "American Indian Day" in 1916; eventually, President George H.W. Bush officially designated November as "National American Indian Heritage Month" in 1990, solidifying the month-long recognition that exists today. Additional Information
Photo Credits A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia. Author - Thomas Hariot Illustrator - Theodor de Bry |
November
landbound, while Europeans are shown as the dominant seafarers. This misrepresentation overlooks the fact that indigenous peoples were skilled mariners, using large canoes and sailing long distances.
In 1524, European sailors were amazed when a fleet of Native canoes appeared off Manhattan. These canoes, carved from large trees, ranged from 20 to nearly 60 feet long, sometimes holding up to 80 people. The dugout canoe is a vessel crafted out of a single tree trunk using a combination of axes, adzes, and controlled burning to shape and hollow out the trunk. Making these boats was no small task, the smallest personal craft took nearly two weeks of nonstop work and a large dugout could take up to a full year from felling the tree to floating the vessel. The Unkechaug carefully selected different types of trees: pine for everyday dugouts, chestnut for its resistance to rot, and ash or maple for paddles. Most prized was the tulip tree, known in some coastal dialects as the “canoe tree,” for building large canoes. The task of canoe-making was so significant that one Algonquian afterlife punishment was the endless struggle of building a canoe using only a round stone. As European and Indigenous watermen began sharing waters, they also shared knowledge of watercraft. Though the term "canoe" was borrowed from the Caribs via the Spanish, it became widely used among both indigenous and European peoples. While several indigenous terms for canoe existed, the most common was Mishoon. These canoes became essential for colonial communication and trade, with indigenous watermen often serving as messengers and ferrymen. Colonists frequently relied on Native vessels to carry mail and passengers across long distances, and Algonquian pilots became integral to colonial transport. Despite European anxieties about riding in canoes, the speed and convenience they offered made them invaluable to colonial society. Over time, the colonists' practical dependence on these vessels and the skills of their Native builders and navigators forged a unique maritime relationship between the two cultures. |
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Asian American & Pacific Islander Month
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Native American Heritage Month
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