UNITED STATES — The Friday after Thanksgiving is observed as Native American Heritage Day across the U.S.
President Barack Obama signed legislation in 2009 permanently designating the day as a way to honor Native American and Alaska Native cultural heritage and tribal sovereignty.
“The indigenous peoples of North America — the First Americans — have woven rich and diverse threads into the tapestry of our Nation’s heritage,” the presidential proclamation reads. “Throughout their long history on this great land, they have faced moments of profound triumph and tragedy alike. During National Native American Heritage Month, we recognize their many accomplishments, contributions, and sacrifices, and we pay tribute to their participation in all aspects of American society.”
At the time of the proclamation, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar explained the timing of the observance.
“It is fitting that Native American Heritage Day follows Thanksgiving because the holiday is rooted in the tradition of the first meal between European settlers and the Native Americans who taught them how to survive in their new home,” Secretary Salazar said in a statement.
Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway are the homelands of 24 Tribes with ancestral and cultural connections. There are 27 listed Tribes who have historic connections to the lands and resources now found within Yellowstone National Park (YNP).
According to Yellowstone Forever, the park’s Tribal Heritage Center saw 320,000 visitors this summer.
“The lands we now call the United States are the traditional homelands of many Indigenous peoples, each with their own distinctive traditions, arts, and ways of life,” the U.S. Department of the Interior posted to Facebook on Friday. “Today and every day, we honor their resilience, creativity, and their rich cultural legacy.”
