Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

Written By Natasha Brennan

West Shore Canoe Family at Netse Mot 2024

November marks Native American Heritage Month, an occasion to celebrate the vibrant and diverse cultures of Indigenous peoples. It is a time to recognize the Indigenous values of generosity, gratitude, respect and responsibility that are woven throughout Native teachings and traditions. It is also a time to look back, to honor past leaders, and embrace our shared responsibility to move their work forward. 

We encourage you to join us in this season of gratitude, learning, and celebration. Join us for an unforgettable evening of Indigenous expression at Netse Mot: One Heart | One Mind in Seattle on Nov. 18th (see more below). Educate yourself about the history of the place you call home and about the treaties that we all play a role in upholding. Support and learn from Indigenous artists and storytellers. You and your community will be richer for it. 

Mural artists

Mural artists Free Borsey (Tsx'vilum), Raven Borsey (Xwesultun) and Roy Nicol (De'sh'he'um) pose with Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund.

Coast Salish Art Brightens Downtown Bellingham

In October, community members gathered to celebrate the completion of two new public art installations in downtown Bellingham, the Coast Salish Living Mural created by CSSP, and Sunset Alley, an open air gallery curated by local nonprofit Paper Whale. Both projects were funded by Bellingham Downtown Activation & Beautification grants from the City. 

At the event, attendees learned about the Coast Salish Living Mural, which adorns the exterior of our future home, Setting Sun Circle, at the corner of the alley and Holly Street. Coast Salish artists at CSSP team members Free Borsey (Tsx'vilum), Raven Borsey (Xwesultun), and Roy Nicol (De'sh'he'um), described how the mural brings to life Indigenous teachings carried since time immemorial. At the end of the tour, Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund spoke to the importance of the mural: “It is so hopeful. And that’s essential because we don’t have as much hope as we should right now. It is also good medicine for Bellingham and for Whatcom County. It is a reminder to take a moment to appreciate our history, for this place that [Coast Salish people] have cared for from time immemorial, and for the care that they continue to give to this place today.” 

We raise our hands to the talented artists, Free, Raven and Roy, and to Mayor Lund and the City of Bellingham for making possible this beautiful and meaningful contribution downtown.  

CSSP Producer Santana Rabang accepts the Native Action Network Rising Star Award at their annual women’s leadership conference.

Producer Santana Rabang Wins Rising Star Award

Children of the Setting Sun Producer Santana Rabang is the recipient of this year's Native Action Network Rising Star Award in recognition of exceptional leadership and dedication to advancing Tribal communities.⁠ Santana, an enrolled member of Lummi Nation, is a podcast and film producer, youth leader and an alum of Northwest Indian College. Santana's transformative work in the media space uplifts Native communities and combats harmful narratives about Indigenous peoples.⁠
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At CSSP, Santana is a researcher and produces the "Young and Indigenous" podcast. Her series "Healing Women Heals Mother Earth" highlights the unique role Indigenous women play in cultural preservation, environmental stewardship and leadership. On TikTok, Santana is known for her advocacy, sharing of Coast Salish culture and documentation of Tribal canoe journeys.⁠ Congratulations, Santana! 

CSSP Executive Director Darrell Hillaire visits with students from Tulalip Heritage High School

Darrell Hillaire Visits Students at Tulalip Heritage High School

From Tulalip News: Earlier this week, Lummi Nation elder Darrell Hillaire journeyed to Tulalip and made a special guest appearance at Tulalip Heritage High School's morning circle. Heritage students listened attentively as the Children of the Setting Sun founder spoke from the heart, weaving together personal experience and cultural insight.

“As you learn who you are and where you come from, you begin to understand the power of your story, the power that’s inside you,” he told the students. “That’s what we do. We share stories that strengthen, stories that heal.”

He emphasized that every young person has the ability and responsibility to shape the future of their people through action, connection and, most of all, giving back.

Where We'll Be

Netse Mot: One Heart | One Mind on Tues. Nov. 18 at the Paramount Theatre Seattle – Buy your tickets today!

We're only ten days out from Netse Mot: One Heart | One Mind, a one-of-a-kind, one-night-only celebration of Indigenous culture, solidarity and sovereignty. Buy your tickets online today before we sell out!

This year, we’re proudly partnering with the National Congress of American Indians to host Netse Mot in conjunction with the NCAI National Convention in Seattle. The event is open to all and is priced below cost to welcome as many people as possible. Join us for a momentous evening emceed by actor and activist Dallas Goldtooth. Hear from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and author Julian Brave NoiseCat; storyteller Baratunde Thurston; musicians Fawn Wood, Isaac Tonasket, and Delbert Anderson, and many more!

Story Pole film to Air on PBS WORLD TV

We’re excited to share that our film Story Pole will air on the WORLD Channel, affiliated with PBS, starting with an airdate at 6:00 PM Pacific on November 17th. WORLD is a nationwide public television channel that specializes in documentary storytelling, and is carried by a number of PBS stations, including Cascade PBS, to reach 77% of audiences nationwide. These kinds of platform partnerships are critical to our mission to share our stories widely to inspire hearts and minds. You can learn about the Story Pole film on our website. 

Seeds of Change

Opportunities to learn and grow together this Native American Heritage Month

Learn about Sxwole (the reef net)
CSSP team member, artist and scholar Xwesultun Ravey Borsey recently sat down with Julie Trimingham for Bellingham Alive to discuss sxwole (the reef net). Raven is working on “Reefnetters of the Salish Sea,” bringing fuller context and the voices of reef net families and their culture keepers to noted anthropologist Wayne Suttle’s unfinished manuscript. Read the Bellingham Alive article to learn more. 

Read books by Indigenous authors

Start with some of the following titles:

This Native American Heritage Month, Support the Amplification of Native Voices 

Children of the Setting Sun is a 501 (c)3 non-profit that relies on the graciousness of others. If you feel inspired, make a tax deductible donation today. Hy'shqe \o/

Natasha Brennan
Next

Commemorating Indigenous Peoples' Day