Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Each November, Native American Heritage Month honors the history, traditions, and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the United States, including the Native American and Alaska Native communities. It's a time to learn, reflect and appreciate the depth of Indigenous history and culture. Native American cultures are incredibly diverse, with more than 500 federally recognized tribal sovereign nations, plus many more fighting for federal recognition. Each Tribe has their own distinct languages, customs, governance, and traditions.

Sno-Isle Libraries acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the Tulalip, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, and Sauk-Suiattle Tribes past and present. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water. We will strive to be honest about our past mistakes and bring about a future that includes their people, stories, and voices to form a more just and equitable society.

Learn more about Native American heritage and cultures with these events and resources.

Library Events

In-Person Events

"Rivers in My Veins" with Poet Kara Briggs - Join Kara Briggs, 2024 James Welch Prize, opens a new window-winning poet, for an in-person reading and celebration of her lyrical and documentary poetry book Rivers In My Veins. Multiple dates and locations include:
so-bali-ali pətab (Whitehorse Mountain Time) at Darrington Library - mali (also known as Mary Porter and xwayama qalamut) is a Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribal Elder, the Director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Cultural Resources of the local Sauk-Suiattle Museum, as well as a descendant of Captain Moses of Marblemount, Washington. mali will share traditional dxʷləšucid (Lushootseed) stories and local history in this special so-bali-ali pətab. Wednesday, November 6, 2024, 12:00pm – 1:00pm.
Sauk-Suiattle Wool Weaving with Mary Porter at Darrington Library - Take a seat at a loom and learn about the traditional practice of weaving while you create a woolen headband in the style of the local Sauk-Suiattle tribe. Program led by Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Elder mali (also known as Mary Porter and xwayama qalamut), Director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Cultural Resources of the local Sauk-Suiattle Museum. This program is intended for adults. Materials are limited, please register on the event page. Saturday, November 16, 1:00pm – 5:00pm at Darrington Library.

Online Events

The Paranormal Ranger: A Conversation with Stanley Milford, Jr. - Join Navajo Ranger Stanley Milford, Jr. as he chats about the chilling and clear-eyed memoir of his investigations into bizarre cases of the paranormal and the unexplained in Navajoland. Thursday, November 7, 4:00pm – 5:00pm.
Indigenous Tabletop: Meet the Creators Behind Coyote & Crow, opens a new window - What would North America look like if European settlers had never arrived? That is the question behind Coyote & Crow, a one-of-a-kind tabletop roleplaying game where players explore an alternate Earth centering Indigenous nations and cultures, rich in science, magic, and adventure. Join us for an afternoon with three of the writers and artists behind Coyote & Crow, where we will talk gaming, the creative process, and the importance of uplifting Indigenous voices in the tabletop community and beyond. Wednesday, November 13, 3:00pm – 4:00pm.
A Council of Dolls: A Conversation with Mona Susan Power - Join Mona Susan Power to chat about her newest novel A Council of Dolls. This conversation highlights how her work explores Native Rights and Native American culture, in particular using an important symbol that anchors comfort and companionship in Native life: dolls. Wednesday, November 20, 4:00pm – 5:00pm.

Notable Native American Heritable Month Online Learning

First Nations' Webinars include "Exploring the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico" on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 9:00am PT and "History and Language Revitalization" on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 9:00am PT.
The National Museum of the American Indian’s Native Cinema Showcase is an annual celebration of the best in Native film. This year’s series explores the challenges still confronting Indigenous peoples on disparate fronts, including sports, missing and murdered Indigenous women, intergenerational trauma, and rematriation of the land with buffalo. Films will be available to stream on demand beginning November 22, 12:01 AM ET, through November 29, 2024. See The Smithsonian Institute's website for the event here.