Since President Bush’s resolution in 1990, November has been Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to recognize the significant contributions and rich culture of Native Americans past and present. According to the Native American Heritage Month website, there had been many attempts to establish a day of recognition for Native Americans prior to 1990.
One of its earliest advocates was Dr. Arthur C. Parker of the Seneca Nation. He was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in New York, and he convinced the area’s Boy Scouts to create a day for the First Americans, which they did three years later. On September 28, 1915, the president of the annual Congress of the American Indian Association, Reverend Sherman Coolidge, proclaimed the second Sunday of each May as American Indian Day. Several states issued their own proclamations in the early 20th century to set aside specific days for the recognition of Native Americans.
Here at BSM, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Dennis Draughn has put together various events for Native American Heritage Month. “[E]very month we’ll have slides… I sent an internal message to everyone on November 1. And then also we have a field trip…for November 15…to the Minnesota History Center,” Draughn said.
The email sent to BSM students includes information about Native-owned businesses to support, as well as educational resources about Native American Heritage Month. It also provides more information about the student field trip to the Our Home: Native Minnesota art exhibit on November 15th.
Mostly we celebrate by trying to highlight other modern Indigenous peoples and spread knowledge about the history of my people. We also try to inform people about Thanksgiving and what it’s really about, especially because it is the month of November.”
— Hunter Payer
Senior Hunter Payer, who is Bad River Ojibwe (Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians), also celebrates Native American Heritage Month. “Mostly we celebrate by trying to highlight other modern Indigenous peoples and spread knowledge about the history of my people. We also try to inform people about Thanksgiving and what it’s really about, especially because it is the month of November,” Payer said.
Outside of Native American Heritage Month, Payer also plays lacrosse. “[Being Bad River Ojibwe is] a big part of my identity throughout high school, especially because of lacrosse. I’ve been a lacrosse player all my life because it is a Native American sport. I try to represent the traditional game of lacrosse in the modern game as best I can,” Payer said.