By Elaine Lee and Amanda Cooper

Every November, we receive the reminder that American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (as referred to by the United States government), also called Indigenous Heritage Month, provides the opportunity to recognize, reflect, and amplify Indigenous people, cultures and the historic and current impact of Native American activists and actions in the United States. First celebrated as a single day in May of 1916, the acknowledgement spread after Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, rode across the nation on horseback lobbying 24 state governments to create a day to honor American Indians. Not until 1990 did a joint congressional resolution designating the month of November as “National American Indian Heritage Month” become adopted at a federal level.

As middle aged folx growing up in the United States of the 1970s and 80s, we both learned a very skewed version of the Native American experience in school. First, in elementary school, we learned the “Thanksgiving myth” in all of its white washed inaccuracy. Later, in college or high school, we learned more about the Trail of Tears and other forms of genocide against Indigenous peoples, and were led to believe that these atrocities essentially wiped out Indigenous communities and people.  It’s only as adults who have worked to become more culturally aware, making an effort to learn more about the people who first inhabited our current homes, that we have come to understand that though colonists did their level best to destroy Indigenous culture and murder Indigenous people, Native American culture and people are still here, still vibrant, still caring for the land, and have so much to offer the world and to all of us. 

For non-Indigenous people, there are a wide variety of ways to learn about, recognize and honor our Indigenous hosts. Finding out whose land you live on is a good starting point, and paying a land tax is a way to begin to contribute to rematriation, or returning Indigenous land to Indigenous people. Amanda lives on Ohlone/Chochenyo land, for example, so she pays Shuumi Land Tax. 

One way to learn more and support Indigenous communities, is to find and follow more Native American content creators and artists. Finding and supporting Indigenous-owned and operated businesses locally and in other locations can expand your horizons and perspective in your hometown and in your travels. When travel is safe and visitors are welcome, we have gained so much perspective from respectfully visiting Native American lands and sites, such as places like Taos Pueblo, which has been home to the Tiwa people for over 1000 years.

As we often discuss at NAAFA, anti-fatness is an intersectional issue. Anti-Indigenous attitudes and oppression are deeply entwined with anti-fatness, similar to anti-Blackness and other forms of discrimination and efforts to create groups that are “less than” others. For example, Native American communities have been the subject of much mainstream news reporting focused on weight stigma, pointing out high rates of diabetes and other disease in Native American communities. The bitter irony of course, is that Indigenous people being forcibly separated from their lands and ancestral diet, in addition to trauma and stress caused by these actions, are the more likely causes of any health disparities noted by researchers. Recently, more public health practices are starting to recognize the power of embracing Indigenous solutions. Indigenous chefs are also reclaiming their cuisine, a wonderful movement you can learn about on the Toasted Sister podcast, among other resources.

Another great podcast is Woman of Size from fat, Indigenous(Lakota) comedian, writer and actor Jana Schmieding. Schmieding is best known to many for her role on the 2021 Peacock sitcom Rutherford Falls, a show worth checking out for its mix of fun comedy and serious attention to issues Indigenous communities are facing. Though there haven’t been new episodes of the Woman of Size podcast since 2019, there is a lot of great content in the archives for exploring the intersection of fat and Indigenous identities.

In NAAFA’s ongoing effort to fight for fat rights while also fighting against white supremacy, we will endeavor to make this month of recognition a month of action, highlighting Native American voices in our blog, programming and social channels. We hope you will join us in using this month to gain a better understanding of the legacy of colonization, and what we can do to contribute to healing.

Elaine K. Lee (she/her) – Elaine joined the Board of Directors in 2020. She is an activist, recovering corporate attorney and computer engineer. Elaine has previously served as Co-President of the Board of Directors of NOLOSE, a national nonprofit organization committed to fat liberation and eliminating hatred, prejudice, and discrimination toward fat people.

Amanda Cooper (she/her) joined the NAAFA Board of Directors in 2020. She is an activist, organizer and Senior Partner at the LightBox Collaborative, a communication consulting firm. Amanda has more than twenty years of experience working with organizations throughout our social justice movements, including organized labor, civil rights, and reproductive health and justice.