This November at OLHMS, we’ve been celebrating Native American Heritage Month and learning a lot about Indigenous cultures. We kicked things off by talking about terms like “Indigenous Peoples” and “Native Americans,” comparing what they mean and exploring the history of the first people to live here. Knowing that President George H.W. Bush officially recognized this month in 1990 made it even more meaningful as we learned about Native voices and contributions across the country.
One of the coolest activities was scanning QR codes to discover books by Native authors. We got to explore new stories and perspectives from Native American writers, which made learning about the culture so much more interesting. We also did a really fun art project where we made Ojos de Dios. This art form, with roots in South America and the southwestern U.S., helped us connect to Native traditions. Each part of the Ojos de Dios represents something—like earth, water, wind, and fire—and the eye in the center stands for the sun and understanding things we can’t always see.
This month has been a great way to celebrate Native American heritage and learn about the history, culture, and art of Indigenous people!
