Native Heritage Month Spotlights Diverse Indigenous Cultures

As Native American Heritage Month begins, Indigenous artists and communities are sharing contemporary expressions of culture and sustaining traditions. In Las Vegas, Paiute artist Fawn Douglas and her partner, A.B. Wilkinson, opened the Wai Gallery and IndigenousAF storefront to showcase Indigenous artists and offer free art programs, using the space to challenge stereotypes and bring people together. The featured works range from wire-woven baskets to art with cultural and environmental narratives. In Kipnuk, Alaska, families displaced by Typhoon Halong have returned to gather salmonberries and reconnect with the land and one another. The month’s observance follows a long campaign for recognition, culminating in Congress’s designation of November as National American Indian Heritage Month in 1990.