The Impact of Native American Heritage Month

By Dominic Leading Fox

November is officially recognized as Native American Heritage Month (NAHM), but what does it mean exactly? Declared in 1990, the month is meant to honor and celebrate the Indigenous people of America. In years passing, it’s become more and more recognized, and with that comes newfound attention on the native experience and issues regarding native people. So, what impact does the celebration have today?

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By dedicating an entire month to Indigenous Americans, a greater understanding of native culture and native views is brought to non-native peoples’ attention. Along with NAHM, many strides have been made in the last twenty to thirty years to bring eyes onto native culture. Something notable is the hit show Reservation Dogs co-created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the first television show to feature an entirely Indigenous writing and directing crew. Reservation Dogs, a dramedy about native teenagers in Oklahoma, brought new eyes onto the brighter side of native life. Before this, most people had no sense of native humor, and now characters like William Knifeman and Willie Jack are quoted on a near day-by-day basis. 

The attention brought on by Native American Heritage Month also affects more serious issues. A red or black handprint over the mouth has become a growing symbol for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, or MMIW. Indigenous women and girls disproportionately experience violence compared to other groups in America, and greater attention to this issue has created greater action. 

On a more local level, Indigenous peoples have a presence here in Owasso in both the student body and the staff. Of those students, Rita Hawzipta shares sentiment on the growing representation of native peoples.

“I think especially with social media Native people are more able to represent and share our culture,” Hawzipta shares. “I mean, I feel like [NAHM] could be a bit more involved, but it's a good base to grow from… more recognition would be good I think?”

If the current progress stays on course, more recognition is on the horizon. In the past few years, indigenous people have seen many firsts. We are seeing more and more representation in television, music and especially government. People like Hawzipta feel more attention should be given to these feats from those outside of the native community. 

“We need to let people know, “Hey, this is going on, and this is what it means,” she urged. 

Native American Heritage Month does not stand alone in its impact on Native people in the United States, but it serves as a reminder that they are still here and are continuing to build a better future.