Native American Day

Native American Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October each year. This holiday celebrates the lives, culture, and history of the Native American people and each of the subsequent tribes. This holiday is a day to remember and learn about the long history and traditions such as dance, art, rituals, and beliefs of the Native American peoples. Native American Day is officially celebrated in 10 states: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Vermont.

Learning about Native American cultures is a wonderful way to celebrate this day. You can look to the local tribes in your area or nearest your area and learn some of their history and about their peoples. South Dakota, where Snapfon is headquartered, has celebrated Native American Day since becoming a legal state holiday in 1990. South Dakota has nine tribes: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Yankton Sioux Tribe. There are many museums, art galleries, memorials, archeological areas, and cultural celebrations of these tribes all throughout South Dakota. Visit these places and speaking with the people who keep these traditions alive should be done throughout the year, but this week is a reminder to learn more. 

If you live in South Dakota or are visiting view the Native American places and memorials to visit on the www.travelsouthdakota.com/culture-history/native-american/south-dakota-tribes website. A few suggestions we have would be the Lady Dignity statue that stands 50 feet tall and 32 feet wide located in Chamberlain South Dakota on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. This statue depicts an indigenous woman receiving a star quilt. Another notable memorial is the Crazy Horse Memorial that has been worked on for nearly 50 years. This memorial is located in the Black Hills in Custer County South Dakota and depicts Crazy Horse riding his horse and pointing to the land. This memorial has a beautiful museum, visitors center, and university located there as well. Watch the film there about the history of Crazy Horse and the family who have devoted their lives to building this monument.

Learn more about the Native American tribes and history in your area to celebrate Native American Day or plan a visit to South Dakota to learn more about the rich history of our state’s native American tribes. Celebrating this day is a way to bring forth the cultures and traditions of these peoples.