November is National Native American Heritage Month
The mural located in Downtown Brisbane at Midtown Market on 249 Visitacion Ave. was commissioned by BES/PTO as one of the biggest community fundraisers supporting local schools in Brisbane. Designed and painted by Mona Caron, the mural was created in 2002 and restored and refreshed in February 2022. The mural represents the rich history and culture of Brisbane, including depictions of the Ramaytush Ohlone, who were the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Read and see more information on nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov.
State Parks recognizes California Native Americans have been caring for the land of California since time immemorial and celebrates this vital connection as they proudly partner with California Native American Tribal Nations to steward, protect, and interpret natural and cultural resources. State Parks and the California Natural Resources Agency invite you to celebrate and honor Native American Heritage Month with many events:
- Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 10am: “We Are Water Protectors” Story Time (via Zoom)
- Friday, November 3 & 17: Beads, Beaches and Balance at Sue-meg State Park
For more events throughout October (both virtual and in person), please visit parks.ca.gov.
Have you wondered about the people who lived on the Peninsula before Europeans arrived in 1769? The Ramaytush Ohlone (ra-MY-toosh) were the first people to call the Peninsula Home. The Ramaytush Ohlone lived in ten independent tribes on the San Francisco Peninsula for thousands of years and to this day continue to live here as respectful stewards of the land. For thousands of years, people built and lived in small villages on the Peninsula from the coast to the bay, gathered food and managed the land. These people developed their own culture and relied on extensive trade networks and well-worn trails for goods not available in their own communities. Learn more about the Ramaytush Ohlone People in this story map created by the County of San Mateo. See additional resources on the San Mateo County Office of Education's website, including resources for teaching about Indigenous Peoples.
Native Land Digital is a Canadian not-for-profit organization, incorporated in December 2018. Native Land Digital is Indigenous-led, with an Indigenous Executive Director and Board of Directors who oversee and direct the organization. Numerous non-Indigenous people also contribute as members of their Advisory Council. Native-Land.ca houses a collection of maps where you can enter your address or mouse around on the map to see the relevant territories in a location. Once you click, a number of links will appear with different nation names. By clicking on those links, you will be taken to a Territories page specifically about that nation, language, or treaty, where you can view some sources, give feedback, and learn a little more.
Celebrate Native American history and culture as well as reckon with the legacy of subjugation and genocide with the San Mateo County Libraries. A way to participate in Native American Heritage Month is through San Mateo County Reads, which allows us to come together and have meaningful discussions about Native stories. You can also check out books learning about the Ramaytush Ohlone, the Native Americans and the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Bay Area.
