CONTRIBUTING WRITER – SEBASTIAN AGUILAR
ORIGINALLY PRINTED ON NOV 10, 2022
What once started as a project to earn a day to honor the first Americans that inhabited the United States is now a month- long celebration. Native American heritage month lasts throughout the entire month of November and aims to recognize Native American heritage. As a St. Mary’s University undergraduate criminology major, Sophia Galdeano gave her thoughts on this month’s celebration. “I wish to learn more about Native American history. I have always been interested in being more connected to that part of my ancestry.” This sentiment is shared by many indigenous Texans, using this month as a way to embrace and learn about their culture.
The story of how Native American heritage month began is quite interesting. In 1915, a Native American named Red Fox James, representing the Blackfoot tribe, traveled throughout the United States on horseback to propose a day on which his people could be honored. After he met with different state governments to gain their approval, he traveled to the White House with a mission to propose the day to the president along with multiple state signatures. In December 1915, Red Fox James presented his day of honor idea along with 24 different state signatures. The United States government declared the first American Indian Day in New York in May 1916.
People usually associate Indigenous People’s Day with Native American Heritage month, but that is its own separate celebration. Indigenous People’s Day is a holiday where all people can show respect to the Indigenous people of America. Native American heritage month is a month-long celebration in November to recognize the culture and history of the tribes that set the foundation of what the United States is today.
For those with some free time on their hands, it is highly recommended that they take the time to celebrate Native American heritage month by attending one or more different events held around San Antonio. Today, San Antonio is home to an estimated 30,000 indigenous Native Americans— nearly 1.4% of the city’s population–, and it would benefit the San Antonio
community to educate themselves on some of their intriguing histories. The city just finished celebrating Hispanic Heritage month a few weeks ago, and this is yet another opportunity to explore the deep cultural roots of our city. Here are some fun events to try for anyone who would like to participate in Native American heritage month.
The Pan American Library and the Mission Library will each have special presentations throughout the month that will focus on the Native-Americans from the San Antonio missions. These presentations are in-person and will explore the history of tribes who built the missions and lived around our city for thousands of years. Las Palmas Library will hold a presentation of its own that will focus more on the cultural aspects of different tribes. These events are educational trips meant to be fun and interesting.
If presentations are not your thing, you can always explore on your own. Feel free to visit the San Antonio missions or different museums around the city to learn more about Native-American culture and history.