Tuesday, November 1 marks the beginning of Native American Heritage Month in 2016. The month of November is set aside for the appreciation and celebration of Native American culture, food, music, crafts, and ways of life. This year's heritage month is coming at a peak time, as Native American people are working their way into headlines and breaking news.
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November to be National American Indian Heritage Month, now commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. The month was designated in an effort to gain recognition for the significant contributions made for the establishment and growth of the United States by the Native American people. It serves as a time to celebrate the rich, seemingly unknown culture of the Native American people, and their importance.
This year's Native American Heritage Month is coming into focus at a critical time. The protests at the Dakota Access Pipeline are heating up and grabbing national spotlight. Standoffs continue with protestors and law enforcement. Law enforcement has arrested hundreds of protesters, including actress Shailene Woodley in attempts to dissuade activists from protesting at this site. However, the protests seem to remain in full swing.
If you know virtually nothing about the Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL, protests, here is a quick rundown:
The Dakota Access Pipeline is projected to construct a pipeline the could transport over 470,000 barrels of crude oil across four states, from oil reserves in North Dakota to new markets in Illinois. This pipeline would cross just north of the Standing Rock Reservation of the Sioux Tribe. The tribe filed a lawsuit against the US Army Corp of Engineers and those responsible for the project for violating their environmental and economic well-being. The construction also disrupts sacred lands. Other concerns include potential water and air pollution that the pipeline could bring.
Since late summer, protests began at the Standing Rock construction location. Since then, Native American tribes and individuals have flocked to Standing Rock to join in protests. This garnered heavy media attention as all walks of life began joining in the protest. Muslims, LGBTQ community, Black Lives Matter projects, millennials through senior citizens have flocked to Standing Rock to join in the protest.
As November begins, and thus Native American Heritage Month, we are reminded of the stark and often forgotten history of Native Americans and the US government. Discrimination, criminalization, and segregation of native peoples past still plague their present. Now that the media has grabbed ahold of the DAPL story, more and more people can see what Native Americans already know and have lived through for centuries.
Native American Heritage Month has always been a month dedicated to the celebration of Native American culture. This year, it is a celebration of triumph, of dedication, and a continuation of trials and hardships, now for all to see.
