November is American Indian Heritage Month. #NativeHeritage

American Indian Heritage Month - 30 Day Spotlight on Native America

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month and in honor of the 5.2 million Native Americans living among us, PWNA is hosting a “30-Day Spotlight on Native America.” One of the greatest gifts you can make is to learn more about Native American people and their history, culture and contributions to the U.S.

Join us this month, casting aside the misconceptions you learned on TV and get the facts about Native America. Visit this landing page daily for our updates throughout November. Participate in our calls to action, get your friends and family involved, and be entered for a chance to win Native American books, DVDs and other prizes.


Week One
Girl weaving Navajo rug

Retweet PWNA — NOV 01: Follow @PWNA4Hope on Twitter and retweet our #HeritageMonth tweets all month long! Start today by tweeting this: It’s American Indian Heritage Month. Follow @PWNA4Hope for a 30-Day Spotlight on #NativeHeritage: NativePartnership.org/NativeHeritage.

Life on the Rez — NOV 02: Hear tribal members from Navajo and Pine Ridge talk about “Life on the Rez”, and be sure to share this video with your friends and family.

Heritage Month — NOV 03: November is American Indian Heritage Month in the U.S. But did you know many states also established a Native American Day? Read “November Celebrates American Indian Heritage Month & Native American Heritage Day” and leave a comment on our blog telling us when your state celebrates Native American Day.

Crazy Horse — NOV 04: Crazy Horse made a dramatic and lasting imprint on American Indian history. Download “A Native American View of Crazy Horse” today, November 4th and you will automatically be entered for a chance to win “The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History” by Native American author George Marshall III. We will announce the winner on the PWNA4Hope Facebook page tomorrow.

Share our Heritage page — NOV 05: Share our Heritage Month landing page with all your friends on social media: www.nativepartnership.org/HeritageMonth

Pine Ridge — NOV 06: Read about the Pine Ridge Reservation and leave a comment on our blog. You will automatically be entered to win the DVD, “Bridge the Gap to Pine Ridge,” a tale of walking in Oglala shoes for just one day. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Chief Seattle — NOV 07: Today please share this Native wisdom: “We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors. We borrow it from our Children.” #ChiefSeattle #NativeHeritage

Week Two
Native in traditional wear

Remember Native Americans — NOV 08: You may not easily remember what happened in 1831, but for Native Americans, it’s still happening now. Watch the video “Remember Native Americans” and leave a comment on our YouTube channel.

Real Indians Today — NOV 09: One of the greatest gifts you can make is to learn more about Native American people and their history, culture and contributions. So, PWNA asked our reservation partners what they most wish Americans knew about Native Americans or about their tribe in general. Download “Real Indians Today” to learn what they shared.

Native American Veterans — NOV 10: You may know of Native American Veterans such as Pima Indian Ira Hayes, infamous for his military service in World War II. But did you know a higher percent of Native Americans serve in the military than any other ethnic group? Or why they serve? Read Honoring Native American Veterans on the PWNA Blog — then tell us what you admire about Native American veterans. You will be automatically entered for a chance to win the book, “Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir by One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII.” Watch PWNA4Hope on Facebook tomorrow to see if you are the winner!

Reservation Realities — NOV 11: Learn the truth about Indians — and how different it is from what most Americans believe! Download "Reservation Realities vs. Public Perception."

Navajo Reservation — NOV 12: Read about the Navajo Reservation and share your impressions by leaving a comment on the blog topic. You will automatically be entered to win the DVD, “Up Heartbreak Hill” about modern Navajo youth faced with leaving the reservation home to attend college. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Urban Myths (or) Native Misconceptions — NOV 13: Do all Indians live in teepees? What is a pow wow? Why do Indians have long hair? Where are all the real Indians now? These questions and more are answered in our blog series about Native American culture, based on the book by Native American author Anton Truer, “Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask.” Today, take a few minutes to read Do Indians Live in Teepees on the PWNA Blog — then register leave a comment on the blog to let us know what you learned!!

Rosebud Reservation — NOV 14: Read about the Rosebud Reservation. Register on the blog and leave a comment telling us what you like about this post or Rosebud.

Week Three
Young Native Dancer

Like PWNA on Facebook — NOV 15 (Sunday): Like PWNA4Hope on Facebook and tell others about us on your Facebook page. We assist 250,000 Native Americans each year.

American Indian Magazine — NOV 16: Retweet @PWNA4Hope today on honoring 5.2 million Native Americans in the U.S. and be automatically entered in a drawing for a subscription to “American Indian Magazine,” a quarterly publication by the National Museum of the American Indian. Check @PWNA4Hope on Twitter tomorrow to see if you won!

PBS Documentary — NOV 17: Register on the blog and leave a comment today on the PWNA Blog topic, What We Are Thankful For, and you will automatically be entered to win a DVD, “We Shall Remain: America Through Native Eyes.” We will announce the winner on the PWNA4Hope Facebook page tomorrow.

Traditional Gardening — NOV 18: Can you imagine what it would be like never to have fresh vegetables for your family? Download “John Yellow Hawk’s Story: Growing Strong” to find out what he is doing about it, while also keeping the Native American tradition of gardening alive on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Natives Helping Natives — NOV 19: PWNA is often asked why prosperous tribes or tribal members do not help other members. The answer is they do! Learn about some celebs who are giving back to help tribal communities. Read “Native Americans Giving Back: Wes Studi” on the PWNA Blog, register, and then leave a comment on the topic to tell us your favorite Native American celeb!!

Trail of Tears — NOV 20: Most people have heard of the Trail of Tears and associate it with the Cherokee. But did you know more than one American Indian tribe suffered a similar hardship? Download “Trail of Tears: The Long Walk” today on the 20th to learn about other tribes affected during the forced relocation to the reservations. You will automatically be entered for a chance to win the DVD, “Standing Bear’s Footsteps” about how he proved he was a “person” under U.S. law.

Native Contributions — NOV 21: With Thanksgiving upon us, we are reminded how American Indians helped the early European settlers survive. Yet their early contributions far exceeded this! Download ”Native Contributions to the United States” to learn what other Native contributions you are still benefiting from today.

Week Four
Native woman in traditional wear

Native Heritage — NOV 22 (Sunday): Upload your photo to our Facebook page and say what “heritage” means to you. We will enter you in our Grand Prize drawing for a 12-inch Navajo dreamcatcher and announce the winner on our Facebook page on November 30 at 6 PM Eastern.

The First Thanksgiving — NOV 23: This week, families across the nation are celebrating Thanksgiving. But do you know how Thanksgiving really began? Read this Native American view of “The First Thanksgiving: The Last of Its Kind,” register, and leave a note on this blog telling us whether you celebrate Thanksgiving and why. You will automatically be entered to win a copy of the book, “Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving.” The winner will be announced on our Facebook page tomorrow.

Thanksgiving Sponsor — NOV 24: As each of you looks forwarding to sharing a Thanksgiving meal with friends and family, please take a moment to learn how Soup Box Love is giving the gift of food to remember Native Americans and share their story on your social pages. Remember to mention @PWNA4Hope @SoupBoxLove #NativeHeritage

Giving Tuesday — NOV 25: Charity begins at home. But did you know Native American are often forgotten when it comes to charitable giving? Read “Give the Gift of Food this Giving Tuesday,” then register and leave a comment on the PWNA blog telling us why you think this is the case. Please. We really want to hear from you.

Reservation Funding — NOV 26 (Thanksgiving): Find out what really happens to all the federal funding and benefits for Indian tribes. Download “Top 5 Reservation Funding Facts.”

Native American Day — NOV 27: Today, in honor of National Native American Day, PWNA is giving away a basic membership to the National Museum of the American Indian (or a Native American museum in your area (not to exceed $50). Register today on the PWNA website for a chance to win. The winner will be announced on the PWNA Facebook page tomorrow.

American Indian Heritage — NOV 28: As we wind down our 30-day spotlight on Native America and American Indian Heritage Month, send a personal shout out to Native Americans everywhere. Be sure to mention: @PWNA4Hope #NativeHeritage.

Indian Casino Facts — NOV 29: Get the full scoop on Indian gaming and the truth about casino riches for American Indians. It’s not what you think! Download “Indian Gaming: Not a Gold Rush” to learn more.

Spotlight on Indian Country — NOV 30: Thank you for participating in PWNA’s 30-day Spotlight on Native America and for joining us in celebrating Native American Heritage Month. We hope you will continue learning and sharing with us. If you haven’t done so already, please register on the PWNA website or PWNA blog so we can hear from you regularly and you can stay tuned for our holiday promotions.


After American Indian Heritage Month is over, we hope you will continue learning and sharing with us. If you haven’t done so already, please register on the PWNA website or PWNA blog so we can hear from you regularly and you can stay tuned for our holiday promotions.

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