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National Museum of the American Indian

Smithsonian Voices

Kevin KW 2.jpg

Meet Montana’s Teacher of the Year: Kevin KickingWoman

It is very rare for an American Indian who has deep roots in his culture, to receive teaching recognition in formal education. Here is his story.

Dennis Zotigh | October 25, 2024

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The Long Path Toward Establishing Indigenous People's Day, a Day to Honor and Recognize the First Peoples of America

Native American Indians are committed to making Indigenous Peoples Day a national holiday in 2024.

Dennis Zotigh | October 11, 2024

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The Quapaw Treaty Was Honored for Only Six Years Before the United States Broke It

The document signed in 1818 serves as a reminder of the unfairness of the federal government's approach to negotiating with Native communities

Dennis Zotigh | May 22, 2024

Indigenous family surrounding Santa Claus

How Christmas Is Celebrated Across Indian Country

A unique look at how Native people spend their winter holiday season

Dennis Zotigh | December 21, 2023
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The National Museum of the American Indian Offers Many Online Resources to Honor Veterans Day

For the 2023 Veterans Day, the National Museum of the American Indian has selected several online virtual options for you to connect to our Native veteran's publications.

Dennis Zotigh | November 11, 2023
Female Aztec dancer in motion.

Through the Indigenous Lens of Photographer Tomas 'Teko' Alejo

For Hispanic Heritage Month the National Museum of the American Indian is proud to feature the powerful images of an Indigenous American Chicano photographer.

Dennis Zotigh | October 16, 2023
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Robert Houle: Red Is Beautiful

The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. is proud to present the contemporary art of Robert Houle in his final exhibition location and the only venue in the United States.

May 25, 2023–June 2, 2024, National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC | August 16, 2023
Two Natives waiting for the fire fight

A Return to the Wounded Knee Occupation, 50 Years Later

The new era of social consciousness and racial activism in the 1970s would play a pivotal role in the events leading up to the 71-day occupation

Dennis Zotigh | February 27, 2023
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How Shared Stewardship Is Bringing to Light One of the World’s Most Significant Holdings of Mi’kmaw Cultural Items

How do two institutions work in partnership across borders and time zones to care for cultural items? More than 25 years ago, the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre (MDCC) in Nova Scotia and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian began a partnership that continues today.

Caitlin Mahony | February 21, 2023
Michigan Anishinaabe women April Lindala, Linda Batiste-Cohen and Michelle Reed

Christmas Across Native America

Celebrations, memorials, and gatherings during the winter holiday season

Dennis Zotigh | December 21, 2022
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Indigenous Mestiza Researcher Features Indigenous Stories from Latin America and the Caribbean

Cynthia Vidaurri, folklorist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, travels the world conveying the stories of Indigenous peoples. In her recent American Indian Magazine article, “Mexico’s Legendary Xoloitzcuintli, the Hairless Dog,” Vidaurri highlights one of the first known dog breeds domesticated in the Americas by Indigenous people.

Dennis Zotigh | December 12, 2022

Join Us to Honor the Exceptional Military Service of Native Americans

Native American Veterans Procession and Dedication Ceremony for National Native American Veterans Memorial Scheduled for November 11, 2022

Dennis Zotigh | June 23, 2022
Hawaiian wa'a (canoe)

Ka Mo‘olelo o Au Hou ma Wakinekona, D.C. | The Story Behind the Hawaiian Canoe in Washington, D.C.

For thousands of years, Native Hawaiians have traveled the Pacific in traditional voyaging canoes. A fixture on the National Mall for almost 20 years now, a wa‘a (Hawaiian canoe) named Au Hou has called Washington, D.C. home since the National Museum of the American Indian’s grand opening in 2004.

Gabbi C. K. Lee | May 24, 2022
Louie and Emmalani Longenecker

The Christmas Season in Indian Country

Celebrations, memorials, and gatherings during the winter holiday season

Dennis Zotigh | December 23, 2021

Educator’s Blog: Land Acknowledgments as a Tool Towards Social Justice in Your Classroom

Teaching about Land Acknowledgments in Your Classroom or Community

Renée Gokey | November 8, 2021
Coyote and Turkeys Illustration

Native Ghosts and the Supernatural

In the new book, "Living Ghosts and Mysterious Monsters," a Native storyteller shares ancient and contemporary scary stories

Dennis Zotigh | October 28, 2021
Volunteers with the Navajo & Hopi Families Covid-19 Relief Fund distribute food and other essential supplies to isolated communities and farmsteads on the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation. As part of the Smithsonian's virtual program 24 Hours in a Time of Change, Shandiin Herrera (Diné)—seated on the left, wearing a Duke University sweatshirt—describes how this grassroots response to the COVID-19 pandemic came together last spring and shares her experiences as the fund's volunteer coordinator in Monument Valley, Utah. (Photo by Karney Hatch)

Smithsonian Wants Your 2020 Stories

What can one day tell us? This Friday, December 11, 2020, ten Smithsonian museums and cultural centers are taking a snapshot of this extraordinary year, offering a moment for reflection and sharing perspectives. Join us in this effort to document a day in the life of our nation and the world—a chance to consider together where we’ve been and where we’re going. In addition to collecting individuals’ and families’ stories—with the assistance of wide-ranging questions as prompts—the ten museums and centers present a series of free, virtual programs sharing different perspectives on the issues that have shaped this year. See https://24hours.si.edu/ for the schedule and to register for some of the programs.

the National Museum of the American Indian | December 9, 2020
Dressed in ceremonial regalia, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne), a veteran of the Korean War, stands with World War II veteran Senator Daniel K. Inouye  and Native American veterans  of the Vietnam War during the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall.  September 21, 2004, Washington, D.C. (Mario Tama/ AFP for the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian)

A Native American Remembrance on Korean Armistice Day

On National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, Kiowa tribal member Dennis Zotigh pays respect to the veterans who served during the Korean conflict, and especially to the three Kiowa soldiers who gave their lives there. Dennis, whose uncle served in Korea, also shares memories of performing with a Kiowa cultural group in Seoul nearly 20 years ago and his impressions from that trip.

Dennis Zotigh | July 27, 2020
Command Sergeant Major Julia Kelly (U.S. Army retired), one of 80 Native American delegates to the 75th anniversary observance of D-Day, stands on Omaha Beach. Kelly holds an eagle feather staff, an American Indian symbol of respect, honor, and patriotism. (Courtesy of Julia Kelly)

On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Native Americans Remember Veterans’ Service and Sacrifices

This year, 80 Native delegates have been asked to take part in the official commemoration of D-Day. Their responsibilities include offering ceremonies at American cemeteries and memorials in Normandy to honor the men and women who served during World War II—part a growing movement to acknowledge the historic service of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Dennis Zotigh | June 5, 2019
Categories
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  • Museum Studies (11)
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