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Native American Heritage Month 2022

While Native American Heritage Month is celebrated nationally every November, Indigenous history and culture should be acknowledged all year long. Many Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities are the original occupants of this land, and this is a time to share stories, preserve history, and encourage respect for their heritage.

Preserving the stories and languages of a community is vital for strengthening the connection people have with their heritage and for preventing Indigenous erasure. In addition to amplifying Indigenous stories, the Library partnered with the Spokane Tribe of Indians to create a Land Acknowledgment, to acknowledge the original residents of the occupied land our libraries were built upon. The Tribe also honored the third floor stage at Central Library with a Salish name, nxʷyxʷyetkʷ Hall, pronounced n-whee-whee-et-k-wh, meaning Life in the Water.

The Library has booklists, movie recommendations, and events to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. Check out our offerings below to join in on the celebration!

Events

The History of the Spokane Tribe | Shadle Park Library | November 9 @ 6:30pm

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich | November 30 @ 12pm

Book Lists

Adult Book Recommendations

Book Lists for Picture Books & Middle Grade | Young Adult

Movies (Find the full collection on Kanopy with your library card)

Children of the Arctic

A year-in-the-life portrait of Native Alaskan teenagers coming of age in Barrow, Alaska – the northern-most community of the United States.

TE ATA

TE ATA (TAY’ AH-TAH) is based on the inspiring true story of Mary Thompson Fisher, a woman who traversed cultural barriers to become one of the greatest Native American performers of all time. 

Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World

This revelatory documentary brings to light the profound and overlooked influence of Indigenous people on popular music in North America. 

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