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2023 Native American Heritage Month

Banner for Native American Heritage Month

Each year, we celebrate the rich and resilient cultures of Indigenous people for Native American Heritage Month during the month of November. The County of San Diego occupies the lands of the Kumeyaay/Diegueno, Luiseño, Cahuilla, and Cupeño people. Our County features the largest number of tribes and reservations: 18 federally recognized Tribal Nation Reservations, 17 Tribal Governments, and two Tribal Governments without federally recognized lands (source). San Diego Public Library strives to recognize Indigenous people through programs, library collections, and displays.

 

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Featured Programs

Kumeyaay leader and Sycuan Cultural Center Coordinator, Ana “Martha” Gloria Rodriguez, smiles towards the viewer. She holds a woven basket. Rows of orange, yellow, and blue square dots serve as a border on the top and bottom of the image.

Create-It Thursday: Native American History Month with The Sycuan Cultural Center & Museum
Thursday, November 16, 2023 | 4 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. | Skyline Hills Library
For Native American Heritage Month, we’re going beyond acknowledgement and learning about the first people in San Diego, the Kumeyaay. Join us with Ana “Martha” Gloria Rodriguez, the Cultural Coordinator of the Sycuan Cultural Center and Kumeyaay College Instructor. The center will be presenting about Kumeyaay culture and introducing some fun hands-on activities.
Registration required.

From Olmecs to Aztecs: 1800 BCE -1325 CE
Saturday, November 25, 2023 | 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Mission Hills Library
From Olmecs to Aztecs is a brief overview (2000 BCE – 1325 CE) about the peopling of ancient civilizations that inhabited Mesoamerica and their contributions to the development of their respective cultures. This includes horticultural development, mathematics, and forms of writing. This lecture will cover the Olmecs, the greatness of Teotihuacan, the Toltec state, the Tarascan kingdom, a brief summary of the Mayan empire, and the founding of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. This San Diego Oasis presentation is free to attend thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Mission Hills-Hillcrest Branch Library.

 

Children’s Programs

From a bird’s eye view, a pair of light skinned children’s hands hold a purple crayon. The hands are placed on top of a table filled with crafts material like construction paper and a craft book. The child appears to be drawing on cut orange paper. To the left of the child is a pair of scissors and a pencil sharpener. Rows of orange, yellow, and blue square dots serve as a border on the top and bottom of the image.

Native American Heritage Celebration
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 | 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Central Library, 1st Floor 
Discovery Corner at Denny Sanford Children's Library
Recommended for ages 3 to 12.

Children's Storytime & Crafts
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 | 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. | University Heights Library
Appropriate for ages 5 and up. All ages are welcome.

Tween Craft: Basket Weaving
Thursday, November 16, 2023 | 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Rancho Bernardo Library 
Recommended for ages 8 to 14. Registration required.

Native American Heritage Month Children’s Craft
Thursday, November 16, 2023 | 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Logan Heights Library

Celebrating Native American Month. Making Dreamcatchers: A Craft for Children and Teens!
Saturday, November 18, 2023 | 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. | Mira Mesa Library
Registration required.

 

Teen and Adult Programs

In the center is a Native American inspired necklace featuring a blue ornament with a sun and star design hangs on a red string. Rows of orange, yellow, and blue square dots serve as a border on the top and bottom of the image.

DIY Tuesday: Native American inspired jewelry
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Logan Heights Library

DIY Tuesday: Medicine bag
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Logan Heights Library 

DIY Tuesday: Dreamcatcher
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. | Logan Heights Library

Picture This: Smoke Signals (1998, PG-13, 89 min)
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 | 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Pacific Beach/Taylor Library

Picture This: Indian Horse (2017, Not Rated, 101 min)
Friday, November 17, 2023 | 1 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. | Pacific Beach/Taylor Library

 

Features

Complete Set of Edward S. Curtis Folios

Complete Set of Edward S. Curtis Folios

This complete edition of Edward Curtis’ rare work The North American Indian, consist of volumes of illustrations and photographs chronicling traditional Native American culture.

San Diego Decameron Project

San Diego Decameron Project 
R is for Regret by Jeannie Meigs

A Native American writer and artist, Jeannie Meigs has experience ranging from editing an anthology to exhibiting artwork in the Cherokee Heritage Museum to co-teaching a graduate class on collaborative writing and indie publishing.

Visit: http://www.jeanniemeigs.com | Twitter: Jeannie Meigs.

Video

The Kumeyaay - San Diego's First People

 

Book Displays

 
 
  • Book display for Native American Heritage Month at CM
  • Book display for Native American Heritage Month at CM
  • Book display for Native American Heritage Month at CM
  • Book display for Native American Heritage Month at SK
  • Book display for Native American Heritage Month at CL
  • Book display for Native American Heritage Month at CM

Resources

 

Book Lists