Rally for Salmon, 7 Waters Canoe Family ©Environment Washington

November is recognized as Native American Heritage Month. This month, and every day, we honor Indigenous people and communities, their histories, cultures, traditions, and ancestral knowledge passed down from generations that hold sacred obligations to protect the land, water, air, and people. To celebrate the invaluable and innumerable contributions of Indigenous people and communities, we encourage you to read the list of resources developed by Children of the Setting Sun (with a few additions from the SOS team) on the several ways to honor and celebrate Native American Heritage Month and every day:

• Honor the land you live on by recognizing and identifying Tribes with ancestral ties to the land. 
  • Check out Native Land Digital’s Ancestral Territories Map.

• Explore Native American cuisine.
  • Check out Lummi Seafood Market
  • Learn how a few Tribes and Tribal members prepare smoked salmon:
    • Insights from two Puyallup Tribal members on smoked salmon preparation
    • The Perfect Smoked Salmon Recipe By Bad Ash Outdoors
    • Moon of the Dog Salmon by Children of the Setting Sun

• Engage with Native American communities.

• Participate in Native American cultural events.
  • If you live in the Bellingham area, here is a great resource for events happening around our community.

• Read Native American Literature, Listen to Native American Podcasts, & Watch Native American Films.
  • Check out the list below for a few recommendations! 

• Follow Native American organizations, leaders and influencers on social media and learn from them throughout the year.

• Invest in Native American organizations and groups.
  • Did you know that only 0.4% of foundation funding is directed to Native communities?
  • Check out GiveNative for a list of Indigenous-led non-profits to donate to. 
  • Donate to Children of the Setting Sun, Nimíipuu Protecting the Environment, Se'Si'Le, 7 Waters Canoe Family.

Books, Articles, Films, & Podcasts to Honor Native American Heritage Month

2023 All Our Relations photos, courtesy of Se'Si'Le and photography by Megan Mack.

Read

Books:

• Jesintel: Living Wisdom from Coast Salish Elders by Children of the Setting Sun Productions, Darrell Hillaire (Editor), Natasha Frey (Editor)
• The Seven Circles: Indigenous Teachings for Living Well by Chelsey Luger and Thosh Collins 
• An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 

Articles:

• NRDC: Biden Turns Attention to Long-Ignored Tribal Injustice in the Columbia River Basin
• Seattle Times: How Native people are revitalizing the natural nourishment of the Pacific Northwest
• The Olympian: 50th anniversary of Boldt Decision is a ‘good time to be alive’ for Nisqually community by Willie Frank III
• NRDC: "We Are the Same as the Salmon": A Story of Suffering and Perseverance
• NRDC: Saving Salmon—from One Generation of Fisherwomen to the Next
• NWPB:  First foods lead the way in Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation natural resource management 
• Seattle Times Guest Opinion: Stop sacrificing Indigenous sacred sites in the name of climate change by Jeremy Takala and Lauren Goldberg  
• Seattle Times Guest Opinion: Make salmon restoration a policy and budget priority by Rep. Debra Lekanoff 
• Canary Media: With renewables, Native communities chart a path to energy sovereignty 
• KUOW: Youth rally to protect salmon in the Snake River 
• OPB Reporter's Notebook: The racism, and resilience, behind today’s Pacific Northwest salmon crisis 
• Seattle Times: How Northwest tribes are leading the push to restore eel-like lampreys 

Watch

• Check out CSSP's YouTube channel for various powerful films about culture, sovereignty, environment such as Our Sacred Obligation (24 min)
• Covenant of The Salmon People (57 min)
  • Host a screening in your community! To screen the film, please contact the Nez Perce Tribe Communications Department at communications@nezperce.org or (208) 621-4772. Check out their website for more information about this film and upcoming screenings near you. If you are unable to host or attend a community screening, the film will be available temporarily on PBS.
• A Healing Journey (2019) (15 min) 
• sčədadxʷ (salmon) narrated by Billy Frank Jr. (5 min) (great for kids of all ages!)
• Land of the Yakamas (10 min) 
• Reciprocal Sacrifice (12 min) 
• River of Return (27 min)

Listen

Podcasts:

• Young & Indigenous