November is Native American Heritage Month in America. This declaration allows us to bring attention to and honor the native people of this country. Now's the time to learn how to celebrate indigenous people with your team.
Native American Heritage Month is dedicated to celebrating the diverse culture, history, and traditions of the Native people. November was officially declared Native American Heritage Month in 1990 by former President George H. W. Bush. Every year since 1994, a new proclamation has been made. Sometimes the proclamations use different names, like:
November is an excellent chance for the public to learn about the challenges that Native Americans faced in the past and today. It's also a perfect time to learn about the many tribal communities throughout the country and their traditional celebrations.
Examples of traditional celebrations:
Now is a perfect opportunity for DEI training for your workplace. There are many ways to honor Native Americans in fun and engaging ways.
Whether your team is in-office, remote, or a mix of the two, it's vital to bring them all together in a way to celebrate Native American heritage and their essential contributions to our country today.
Art is a massive part of Indigenous communities, both past and present. Taking time as a team to explore how art has shaped Native American history is a great way to honor Native communities this November.
Many pieces of historic art showcase the lifestyle of indigenous peoples, including woven baskets, dishes, and tools. Not only that, but Native art has been seen as a way for the creators to pay tribute to their native culture, including religious beliefs and tribal heritage.
How to get started 👉 Consider booking a team experience like Exploring Native American Art. This virtual workshop will help your team explore Native artifacts, sculptures, and art dating back to 1000 BCE.
.jpg)
Who said learning about other cultures can't be a hands-on experience? There are many cultural crafting classes available for your team. This unique approach to history can give your team a traditional craft to learn about. Plus, the craft can serve as a reminder to everyone about the history of the native tribes
Talk about a fun way to get an education!
How to get started 👉 Offer your team the chance to participate in a Dream Catcher Making Workshop. Dream catchers are symbolic in Native culture - this workshop will teach about their significance and walk your team through making a unique dream catcher to keep.
If you want to spark genuine conversation about native citizens, consider creating a book club at work. November is the perfect time to read books written by Native American authors.
Books written by Native Americans will give a genuine view of the struggles indigenous peoples still face today. Using this approach will help spread awareness better than using a Eurocentric perspective.
Consider choosing one of these popular books written by Native American authors:
How to get started 👉 Check out our guide on How to Start a Book Club at Work!
An impactful way to honor indigenous peoples is to donate to their organizations, giving back directly to their communities. Help your team give back directly to the original inhabitants of this country.
Depending on the organization, donations can help provide legal advocacy, health care, or education to native communities. These benefits can go a long way toward assisting indigenous peoples to reach their fullest potential and fight against the struggles many families face.
Consider donating to one of these well-known Native American organizations:
How to get started 👉 Consider looking for local institutions or tribes that you can donate to if you want to keep your efforts close to home!
Native American tribes were here long before the first colonists and had stakes in certain areas of the country. An educational way to honor Native Americans is to bring attention to the tribes who lived on the land you're using.
With this information, you can pay honor to the native people at work by thanking the tribe during meetings or even tagging your company's social media posts with the Native land location during November to get conversations started.
How to get started 👉 Put your location into this map to find what tribe(s) once lived where you work.
No matter how you choose to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Confetti wants to help you out. When selecting ways to celebrate native peoples, add a Confetti team-building activity to your agenda!
Contact [email protected] to start planning your Native American Heritage Month celebration today!
