November is National Native American Heritage month — help us celebrate by learning more.

We would like to start our celebration by acknowledging that we are standing on the tribal lands of Sacramento’s Indigenous people. The history of the Sacramento area and people is rich in heritage, culture and tradition. This area was, and still is, the Tribal land of the Nisenan people. Sacramento was a gathering place for many local Tribes who have lived throughout the central valley and the foothills for generations and were the original stewards of this land, including the Southern Maidu People, the Valley and Plains Miwok/Me-Wuk Peoples, and the Patwin Wintun Peoples (as well as potentially unrecognized tribes). We honor the people and elders here today and their ancestors. You can view this interactive map of tribal lands of California.

What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S. has resulted in a whole month designated for that purpose. 

The holiday recognizes hundreds of different tribes and approximately 250 languages, and celebrates the history, tradition, and values of American Indians. National American Indian Heritage Month (also called National Native American Heritage month) serves as a reminder of the positive effect native peoples have had on the cultural development and growth of the U.S., as well as the struggles and challenges they have faced.

Again, we recognize that preferred terminology changes and varies with each person. Additional information can be found in the Terminology section of the FAQ of the National Museum of the American Indian.

You can find out more about the history of the celebration at https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/.

ART RESOURCES
Ms. Jane works Inuit and other Native American artists and artistry into the in-class art instruction throughout the year. She has shared some additional resources below.

Learn about Kenojuak Ashevak and print some coloring pages.
Learn about Norvall Morrisseau and how to draw a bear or print a coloring page.

LEARN ABOUT LOCAL TRIBES AT OUR STATE PARKS AND OTHER RESOURCES
State Indian Museum (Sacramento)
State Parks and Museums Interpreting California Indian Culture and Heritage 
Don’t forget, 4th graders can get the CA Parks adventure pass for free access to 19 state parks

SURJ Sacramento Land Acknowledgement and other Local Resources
News from Native California magazine – Events Calendar

ONLINE EVENTS, EXHIBITS AND LEARNING RESOURCES
American Indians in Children’s Literature List of Best Books
Online Documentaries from PBS
Smithsonian Heritage Events which include free online events for families 
National Museum of American History, Many Voices/One Nation exhibit
Learn more on about indigenous heritage, lands and people on the National Park Service site

TEACHER RESOURCES 
California Teachers Association: https://www.cta.org/native-american-heritage-month
https://edsitement.neh.gov/teachers-guides/american-indian-history-and-heritage
https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/for-teachers/