Native American Heritage Month
Week 1 — Recognition & Reflection
Post:
This November, we honor Native American Heritage Month by acknowledging the original stewards of this land—[insert local tribes, e.g., the Puyallup, Nisqually, and other Coast Salish peoples].
Their enduring traditions, wisdom, and care for community continue to shape our region and our collective future.
💡 Action: Include a land acknowledgment in your next meeting or event, and learn whose land you’re on via Native Land Digital.
#Native American Heritage Month#LandAcknowledgment #Inclusion #LeadershipInAction
Week 2 — Language, Culture & Knowledge
Post:
Languages, stories, and art preserve identity and resilience. 📖✨
This week, we celebrate Native American languages and storytelling traditions—each a living archive of culture and connection.
📚 Action: Add an Native American author or podcast to your professional learning list. (Try Joy Harjo, Robin Wall Kimmerer, or the All My Relations podcast.)
#Native American Heritage Month#CulturalCompetence #LifelongLearning
Week 3 — Economic Empowerment & Sovereignty
Post:
Economic sovereignty is a foundation for thriving communities. 💼
During Native American Heritage Month —and beyond—we can all help strengthen Native economies by supporting Native Americn-owned businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs.
🤝 Action: Identify one Native-owned business to collaborate with, purchase from, or feature in your professional network this week.
#SupplierDiversity #EconomicEquity #SupportNativeBusinesses
Week 4 — Stewardship & Future Generations
Post:
Native American communities lead the way in environmental stewardship and climate justice. 🌎💧
Their knowledge systems offer vital lessons for sustainable development and intergenerational responsibility.
🌱 Action: Follow or donate to an Native American-led environmental organization, and explore how traditional ecological knowledge can inform your field.
#Sustainability #ClimateLeadership #NativeAmericanKnowledge
Events and Resources
- IN THE SPIRIT Northwest Native Festival
An annual arts market & festival celebrating Native American cultures — featuring dance, music, artworks, fashion, workshops, and more. Tacoma Art Museum
- 46th Annual Puyallup Tribal Labor Day Powwow
A traditional gathering with dance, ceremony, and community participation. Facebook
- Surprise Lake Pow Wow (Milton, WA)
A local pow wow organized by school districts in Fife, Federal Way, and Puyallup. Pow Wow Calendar
- Franklin Pierce School District Annual Pow Wow
Open to the public; includes traditional dance and ceremony. Pow Wow Calendar
- Culture Night at Tahoma Indian Center
Regular community gathering to celebrate culture, storytelling, and arts. Tahoma Indian Center -
“Tacoma Boat Builders: Carving as Medicine” Event
A cultural art event focused on carving as healing, hosted by the Tahoma Indian Center. Tahoma Indian Center
🏛 Museums, Cultural & Historical Sites
- Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center & Museum
Features exhibits on the historical and contemporary life of the Steilacoom people (dating back to the 1400s). Visit Pierce County - Washington State History Museum (Tacoma)
Its exhibits include Native American history, art, and culture, especially during heritage months. Pierce County Blog+1 - OneSigma1922.org — (Historic Sites + Trails Contexts)
While not exclusively Native American, historic trails and interpretive exhibits in the region include depictions of Native American camps and life. Visit Pierce County+1
- Native Forest Stewardship + Workshops (via Puyallup Tribe events)
Workshops hosted by the Puyallup Tribe on forest stewardship and traditional ecological knowledge.
Puyallup Tribe
🌲 Outdoor & Interpretive Tours / Trails
- Native American Seasons Tour (Pioneer Farm / Ohop Indian Village)
A guided 1½-hour tour through forest and the historic village site, with children’s crafts at the Ohop Indian Village. Pioneer Farm Museum
- Naches Trail Preserve (Frederickson area)
Trail along what was historically part of the Naches Trail, which was used by Native Americans, the military, and early settlers. Pierce County
(Image https://www.duwamishtribe.org/chief-siahl)
Chief Leschi
Duwamish and Suquamish leader for whom the city of Seattle is named.
Known for his powerful oratory about the environment and coexistence between Native people and settlers.
Advocated for peace while protecting his people’s rights during the early settlement of Puget Sound.
Leschi (c. 1808–1858)
Nisqually leader who resisted unfair treaties imposed by the U.S. government.
Wrongfully executed after the Puget Sound War; later exonerated and honored as a symbol of justice for Native peoples.
(Image: https://www.historylink.org/file/21193)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Kamiakin
Chief Kamiakin (c. 1800–1877)
Yakama leader who resisted U.S. encroachment during the Yakama War of 1855–58.
Remembered for his courage, diplomacy, and defense of tribal sovereignty.
(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Joseph )
Chief Joseph (Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it) (1840–1904)
Though originally from the Wallowa Valley (Nez Perce) region, his people’s forced relocation brought them through Washington. Revered across the Northwest for his leadership and humanitarian principles.
(Image: https://www.historylink.org/file/7130 )
Vi Hilbert (1918–2008)
Upper Skagit Tribe elder, linguist, and storyteller who preserved the Lushootseed language. Helped ensure the survival of Coast Salish oral traditions and linguistic heritage. Named a Washington State Living Treasure in 1989.
(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_Pete )
Hazel Pete (1914–2003)
Chehalis Tribe member, master basket weaver, and educator.
Revived traditional Salish weaving and helped preserve cultural crafts through teaching and mentorship.
(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting_Bull )
Sitting Bull (c.1831–1890)
Hunkpapa Lakota leader and spiritual figure who resisted U.S. expansion and played a key role at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecumseh)
Tecumseh (1768–1813)
Shawnee leader who sought to unite Indigenous nations against U.S. expansion into Native lands.
(Image: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/wilma-mankiller )
Wilma Mankiller (1945–2010)
First female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation; worked to improve education, healthcare, and housing.
(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Banks )
Dennis Banks (1937–2017)
Ojibwe activist and co-founder of the American Indian Movement (AIM), which fought for Native rights in the 1960s–70s.