LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors and the governor last week issued proclamations that declare November as Native American Heritage Month.
During the Nov. 16 board meeting, Supervisor Moke Simon — who along with Supervisor EJ Crandell is a member of a Lake County tribe — presented the Native American Heritage Month proclamation.
The proclamation notes that Lake County has been home to people for greater than 12,000 years, “and the richly diverse cultures of the seven Tribal Nations indigenous to Lake County, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, Koi Nation of Northern California, Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California and Elem Indian Colony, have informed every aspect of our community’s history.”
It also acknowledges, “Policies and practices of the United States and earlier colonial governments deprived Indigenous People in the State of California and Lake County, specifically, of land-holdings, liberty, even life, itself.”
On Aug. 3, 1990, President George H.W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, with the event now commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month.
The proclamation explained that the bill establishing Native American Heritage Month in 1990 “represented a major step in the establishment of this celebration which began in 1976 when a Cherokee/Osage Indian named Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle authored Native American Awareness Week legislation,” which was the first historical week of recognition in the nation for Indigenous peoples.
President Ronald Reagan proclaimed Nov. 23 to 30, 1986, as “American Indian Week,” and President Barack Obama made a Presidential Proclamation on Oct. 31 of each year that each respective November would be National Native American Heritage Month, the proclamation said.
The proclamation also affirmed Lake County's commitment to protecting the sovereign rights of Indigenous tribal organizations and institutions to strengthen their own communities,” and encouraged citizens to join in recognizing the accomplishments and contributions Native Americans have made to Lake County and to salute “those who have sought to honor the important role of Tribal leadership in our County’s past, present and future.”
Three days later, on Nov. 19, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring November as Native American Heritage Month in California.
“During Native American Heritage Month, we honor and celebrate the perseverance, rich diversity and excellence of all Native Americans — from the first peoples of this place to those from across the Nation who now call California home,” said Gov. Newsom. “I encourage everyone in our state to learn more about the people who first called this nation home, in the spirit of growth, healing and hope for a better future.”
Last week, the California State Archives announced a new educational resource created in partnership with the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center in honor of Native American Heritage Month, Identity and Stereotypes: Why Do Representations Matter?, now available on its website.
Officials said that, through a series of activities centered on issues of Native American stereotypes and representations in historical and current mass media, the resource invites high school students to think critically about widespread, problematic representations of Indigenous peoples.
They can also listen to contemporary Indigenous perspectives and consider solutions moving forward.
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County and state leaders mark November as Native American Heritage Month
- Elizabeth Larson
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