ABOUT ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE MONTH

ANHM Today

Since 2001, volunteers in Alaska have planned annual celebrations and activities to commemorate the month of November as Alaska Native and American Indian Heritage Month. Community Activist Irene Rowan, Tlingit originally from Haines, Alaska, helped create the original committee of volunteers because she saw a real need in the community to share Alaska Native traditions.

The committee members are as diverse and varied as the activities that they are planning, but they come together to assist one another in developing activities and programs that can be shared throughout the month of November to recognize Alaska Native and American Indian contributions to the development of the history of Alaska and the United States.

In addition to the scheduled events, the committee has annually coordinated the “Artists and Speakers in the Community” program that recruits Alaska Native artists and professionals to demonstrate their art or to speak in the schools during the month of November.

Our History

In 1914, Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode his horse across the country to ask the state governments for an official celebration to honor American Indian/Alaska Native people. Today, it’s a month long celebration, now in its second year in Alaska. Last year’s events included: Native tradition bearers and artists in the classroom, a Bladder Festival, a "Share the Rhythm" Drumming Circle, "Voices of the North" featuring Pamyua and the Anchorage Civic Orchestra, King Island Inupiaq Animal Spirit Release Ceremony, an Intertribal Powwow, storytelling at local libraries with Jack Dalton, and more.

In 1990, President George Bush declared the first National American Indian Heritage Month on August 3. The purpose of National American Indian Heritage Month is to honor and recognize the original peoples of this land. Similar proclamations have been made since 1994. "During National American Indian Heritage Month, I call on all Americans to learn more about the history and heritage of the Native peoples of this great land. Such actions reaffirm our appreciation and respect for their traditions and way of life and can help to preserve an important part of our culture for generations yet to come,” said President Bush.