Tachquoak - Fall
The ABC's of
Native American Heritage Month
Teacher Page Links November Heritage Month
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Waníshi
(Thank you)
November 2006 -- This month, as the nation observes
Native American Heritage Month, Teaching Tolerance offers a wealth of
activity ideas tied to Thanksgiving, Native mascots and indigenous
people's proud heritage of resistance.
by Jennifer Holladay
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush designated
November as "National American Indian Heritage Month," designed as a
celebration of the history, art and traditions of the American Indian
and Alaska Native peoples.
In many ways, November is an odd time to observe
Native American Heritage Month. It's the month that the nation also
observes the federal Thanksgiving holiday, which to some Native
Americans is no cause for celebration, but rather a day of mourning.
November also marks the countdown to football bowl
season, when people gather around televisions to root for the
"Seminoles," the "Redmen," the "Savages" and the "Fighting Sioux."
In this edition of the ABCs, Teaching
Tolerance provides resources and activities to help debunk the mythology
of Thanksgiving and expose the racism inherent in Native mascots.
At the same, we encourage educators to go
beyond these issues during and after Native American Heritage Month to
examine Native people's struggles to hold onto heritage and secure
justice.
Tafeni English, Camille Jackson, Carrie Kilman and
Rhonda Thomason contributed to this edition of the ABCs.
THANKSGIVING
Ask nearly any young child in the U.S. to tell the
story of Thanksgiving, and he or she will almost certainly recite the
following scenario:
The Pilgrims came over on the Mayflower in 1620.
They settled in Plymouth, Mass., and met a nice Indian by the name of
Squanto who taught them all how to grow food. The following year, the
Pilgrims enjoyed a bountiful harvest and invited all of their Indian
friends to share in a glorious feast, and all lived happily ever after.
Although a charming tale, the scenario is far from
a whole truth.
A Must-Read for Every Educator
The Fourth World Documentation Project's e-guide,
Teaching About Thanksgiving, was first published in 1986, yet it still
serves as an excellent primer on Thanksgiving observances in schools.
Thanksgiving Mourning
Much of the mythology surrounding Thanksgiving
focuses on the peaceful, cross-cultural exchange between the "Indians
and Pilgrims." While it's true the Wampanoag and the Planters shared in
a harvest celebration, within fifty years, the Wampanoag would no longer
be a free people. For some Native Americans, Thanksgiving is no cause
for celebration, but rather is a day to mourn. This primary document
activity for the upper grades introduces students to such perspectives.
Thanksgiving Myths
Teachers sometimes encourage students to create
Indian costumes from brown grocery sacks and Pilgrim hats and coats
(complete with big buckles) out of stiff, black construction paper.
Unfortunately, such activities are steeped in stereotypes and
misinformation.
To debunk these myths, visit Teaching Tolerance's
online Images in Action gallery:
Did the Pilgrims & Indians wear buckles and
feathers?
Did "The First Thanksgiving" feature turkey on the
menu?
As a follow-up activity, ask students to brainstorm
other images or myths common to Thanksgiving and create their own Images
in Action.
NATIVE AMERICAN MASCOTS & RACISM
Almost since the day they were "discovered" by
European explorers, American Indians have been caricaturized in stories,
ads, films and imagery. Today, hundreds of sports teams use Native
images as mascots.
Use the following activity ideas and resources to
help students understand the racism behind Native American mascots.
IN THE CLASSROOM
Stereotypes Behind Native Mascots
Teaching Tolerance's online Images in Action
gallery is a simple critical literacy activity for students and
includes:
As a follow-up activity, ask students to identify
other Native American stereotypes and create their own Images in Action
debunking them.
What's in a Mascot?
A 9th-grade English unit helps students analyze the
legacy behind Native American mascots.
IN CONTEXT
Not for Sport
Barbara Munson, a member of the Oneida Nation,
dissects common misunderstandings on the Native mascot issue and offers
constructive ways to address them.
Youth Essay: Take Me Out of the Ballgame
One young sports fan — like thousands of others —
is tired of Native Americans being used as 'props' under the guise of
school spirit.
18 to Watch
In 2005, the NCAA took a powerful step, indicating
that it would ban Native sports mascots during post-season play.
Eighteen schools are subject to the ruling. Will they, or won't they,
change mascots?
Chief Offenders
from Native Peoples magazine
After 30 years, the woo-woo-woo of war chants and
Indian dances on ball fields are beginning to fade, but some team owners
still don't want to be good sports.
ACTIVITIES ABOUT HERITAGE, RESISTANCE & JUSTICE
Holding Onto Heritage
Whale Hunts & Diversity
When the Makah Indian tribe of Washington state
announced their intention to revive traditional whale hunts after a
70-year respite, they found themselves pitted against local animal
rights and environmental activists.
Against the Current
Native American activists use civil disobedience
and consensus building to resolve a dispute over environmental
resources.
Resistance & Justice
The Alcatraz Proclamation
On Nov. 20, 1969, Alcatraz island became the
unlikely stage for a landmark event in the Native American rights
movement.
A Summer of Violence in the Navajo Nation
In 2006, anti-Navajo violence in the racially tense
border town of Farmington, N.M., sparks an investigation by the U.S.
Department of Justice.
This Land Is Ours
In the 19th century, Native Americans didn't take
the U.S. government's policy of forced removal passively -- they
resisted.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Websites
Understandingprejudice.org
This website was established in 2002 with funding
from the National Science Foundation and McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
It offers educational resources and information on prejudice,
discrimination, multiculturalism, and diversity, with the ultimate goal
of reducing the level of intolerance and bias in contemporary society.
Be sure to test your Native IQ.
Students and Teachers Against Racism (STAR)
Through education, STAR seeks to bring the image of
Native Americans into the present, to support the well being of Native
children in schools through the accurate depiction of history and by
raising awareness of the need for sensitivity to Native culture as well
bringing recognition to the ongoing contributions of Native Peoples
today, and to celebrate the varied and rich cultural traditions of all
Native people in the United States.
Changing Winds Advocacy Center
The Changing Winds Advocacy Center is a Native
American civil rights and education agency that aims to provide a
"deeper understanding of the Native experience both in education, in the
workplace...and indeed, in the world."
Teaching Tolerance magazine
Discovering Lewis and Clark
In 2006, the nation celebrates the bicentennial of
the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and many educators are asking: 'Is this
a celebration for Native Americans?'
Tipi Technology
Student teachers in Washington state experiment
with multicultural science.
From Cradleboard to Motherboard
Buffy Sainte-Marie's interactive multimedia
curriculum transforms Native American studies.
Keepers of the Word
Bilingual storytellers blend history, tradition and
culture to teach the power of language and story.
This information is from Teaching Tolerance.
Please remember to go to:
http://www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/activity.jsp?ar=750&ttnewsletter=ttnewsgen-11022006