By Katherine Mueller
Executive Opinion Editor
Though known by most Americans as the month of Thanksgiving, November is recognized nationally as Native American Heritage Month. However, the level that each celebration is acknowledged is unequal, with many unaware of the cultural celebration. With the broadening understanding of American history combined with the endangering of native societies, Native American cultural awareness is becoming increasingly more important.
Beginning in 1990, the month of November has been devoted to celebrating Native American heritage, according to NCAI. Additionally, Native American groups use the month to raise awareness about Native American-specific issues, such as discrimination, poverty, and endangered languages. During the pandemic, Native Americans additionally suffered greater population loss and illness compared to other populations, according to IHS.
Native American tribes have faced the extermination of their languages throughout the course of history. Nearly 100 percent of indigenous languages are in serious danger and are predicted to disappear from the earth in around 25 years, according to Ethnologue. By engaging in educational discussions about Native American culture, languages will not be lost, and the knowledge of them will be spread to the minds of others.
Over past decades, Native American culture and the colonization of the Americas in the 15th century has been exposed in a new light. Today, it is well known by many the heinous actions committed by Christopher Columbus as the Europeanization of the continent began. Native people had faced violence, enslavement, and theft, with 95 percent of the Native American population depleted after only 130 years of a European presence, according to the Smithsonian. Pertinence is key in understanding and learning from history, which is why Native American perspectives should be listened to and advocated for.
Cultural awareness is crucial in both the pursuits of gaining knowledge and forming opinions with utmost accuracy and relevance. Depending on a person’s geographical or socioeconomic background, for example, their exposure and, therefore, comprehension of minority cultures can vary greatly. According to the most recent American Census, almost 79 percent of Manhattan Beach is white, making the city relatively unexposed to a great amount of cultural diversity. Therefore, it is even more crucial that Native American History Month is celebrated in areas like these.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, only two percent of the United States’ population is Native American. Additionally, the concentration of Native American reservations is most populous in the Western United States, specifically in Arizona and New Mexico, according to the Rural Assistance Center. Subsequently, due to this stark population and its uneven distribution, it can be challenging to promote culture on a larger scale.
Much like Hispanic and Black Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month should also be celebrated at Costa, encouraging more cultural knowledge in a positive way. By having individuals participate in more discussion and appreciation of Native American heritage, cultures will continue to live on.
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