While Thanksgiving is a time to get together with friends and family and eat plenty of food, it also takes place in Native American Heritage Month. There is a lot of unknown history behind Thanksgiving, and to many, Thanksgiving means so much more than a holiday.
Thanksgiving is an important time to listen to other people’s stories. Author Anton Troyer spoke with the district staff to share and educate on Native American Heritage Month.
“Thanksgiving is an important [time] to hear other people’s perspectives of this national holiday. November is also Native American Heritage Month,” said Dagle. “Native American Heritage Month is really about celebrating native cultures…it’s about learning more about different cultures because there are so many tribes…I hope people just stop and think about Thanksgiving, and think about kind of the history with Native Americans. Especially in our region, we live on Dakota and Ojibwe land.”
This month is about bringing different cultures to light. Traditions and customs are shared among communities, and groups of Native American-identifying individuals celebrate this month in different and unique ways.
“There are so many tribes, and each tribe does things a little bit differently, so it’s a great way for people to kind of learn more and hopefully participate in some of these cultural activities,” said Dagle. “Some traditions that are really important in many Native American communities are music, singing, dancing, and drumming.”
Thanksgiving foods for those who celebrate consists of turkey, potatoes, and cranberries, but incorporating indigenous foods into your dinner for Native American Heritage Month shows acknowledgement and respect towards the month and the original inhabitants of North America, said Dagle.
There are many different types of indigenous cookbooks that include a plethora of native recipes. The cookbook is a great way to incorporate some basic indigenous culture into your own celebration during Thanksgiving.
