Native American Heritage Day
This week commemorates Thanksgiving Day (Thursday) and Native American Heritage Day (Friday). Friday is always overshadowed by Black Friday and most people don’t even know that this is a special holiday for tribes. For most of my life, I didn’t recognize the harmful impact that many US holidays have on groups of people. I wasn’t aware. I wasn’t educated. This week, I share my experience in learning and how we can continue to evolve and come to a place of respect for one another as a human race, and how this understanding helps everyone feel less defensive and simply seen and valued.
Native American Heritage Day
As humans and society have evolved, things have changed for me. I have a desire to know more. I am compelled by humanity, compassion, and truth-seeking. I have a yearning to change my own family traditions, because of what I continue to uncover about the past.
The trauma that so many people have lived with for a lifetime, is just being uncovered for many people. Now the onus is on those groups to evolve and think about how our society celebrates certain holidays bigger and brighter than others, and often on the same day that many people are mourning a great loss.
While I love Thanksgiving Day for the food, connection, togetherness, and focus on gratitude, I also recognize a need for change and to learn the real history. It doesn’t need to be drastic, but evolution is calling for a shift in thinking. Every year I have a newer perspective, and this day will be a day of reverence and new conversations.
This week, in honor of Native American Heritage Day, take a moment to simply think about this special celebration for tribes on Friday when so many people are out shopping and businesses are open.
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