November Celebration Highlights

• All Saints Day & Dia De Los Muertos
• Native American Heritage Month
• Thanksgiving

Explore fascinating stories, history, and cultural expressions as we honor the traditions, heritage, and reflections of these meaningful celebrations.

All Saints Day is a Christian holiday celebrated on November 1st. It’s a special day to honor all the saints and martyrs—people who lived holy lives or died for their faith. On this day, Christians around the world remember these important figures and seek their guidance and protection.

How Do People Celebrate?

• Church Services: Many people attend special church services on All Saints Day to pray and reflect on the lives of the saints. These services often include readings about the saints and hymns that celebrate their deeds.

• Lighting Candles: In some traditions, people light candles in memory of the saints and loved ones who have passed away. The light of the candles symbolizes the hope and faith that the saints bring to the world.

• Visiting Graves: Some families visit the graves of loved ones, especially those who have passed away recently, to honor their memory and pray for them. This practice connects All Saints Day to the remembrance of all faithful departed souls.

All Saints Day is a meaningful tradition that encourages us to reflect on the lives of the saints and to seek their guidance in our own lives. By honoring these holy figures, we are reminded of the strength and faith they showed, and we are inspired to follow their example in our own journeys.

Prompt:

Think about a saint or someone in your life who has inspired you with their kindness, bravery, or faith. How have they made a difference in your life? Write about why this person is special to you and what qualities you admire in them. How can you follow their example in your own actions?

Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It’s a time to celebrate and remember loved ones who have passed away. Unlike other days of mourning, Dia De Los Muertos is filled with joy, as families believe the spirits of their deceased loved ones return to celebrate with them.

How Do People Celebrate?

• Altars and Offerings: Families build altars, called ofrendas, in their homes or at cemeteries. These altars are decorated with photos of the deceased, along with their favorite foods, drinks, and personal items. The ofrendas are meant to welcome the spirits back to the world of the living.

• Decorations: Brightly colored marigolds, sugar skulls, and papel picado (paper cut-outs) are used to decorate altars and graves. These decorations bring color and life to the celebration, symbolizing the beauty of life and death.

• Community Celebrations: In many communities, people celebrate Dia De Los Muertos with parades, festivals, and cemetery visits. Families gather to clean and decorate graves, share stories, and remember the happy times spent with their loved ones.

What is Native American Heritage Month?

Native American Heritage Month is celebrated every November to recognize the important contributions of Native Americans to U.S. history, culture, and society. This month is a time to honor the rich traditions, history, and culture of Native American peoples and to learn more about their impact on our country.

Why is Native American Heritage Month Important?

Native Americans were the first people to live in what is now the United States. Their cultures are diverse and filled with rich traditions, stories, and knowledge that have been passed down through generations. Native American Heritage Month helps everyone appreciate and learn from these traditions, while also recognizing the challenges Native American communities have faced throughout history.

• Festivals and Events: Across the U.S., communities celebrate Native American Heritage Month with powwows, which are gatherings that include traditional dances, music, and ceremonies. Educational programs and cultural exhibits also take place, teaching people about Native American history and traditions.

• Art and Literature: Native American artists and authors have made a big impact on culture. Their works often reflect their experiences and heritage. For example, artists create beautiful beadwork, pottery, and paintings that tell stories about their people. Native American authors write books that share their history and culture with the world.

Curated by artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation), this exhibition brings together works by an intergenerational group of nearly 50 living Native artists practicing across the United States. Their powerful expressions reflect the diversity of Native American individual, regional, and cultural identities. At the same time, these works share a worldview informed by thousands of years of reverence, study, and concern for the land.

Through a variety of practices—including weaving, beadwork, sculpture, painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, performance, and video—these artists visualize Indigenous knowledge of land/ landbase/ landscape. Together, the works in The Land Carries Our Ancestors underscore the self-determination, survivance, and right to self-representation of Indigenous peoples.

Explore all art from audio guides, learning resources and art exhibitions: https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2023/ancestors-contemporary-art-native-americans.html

• Traditional Practices: Ceremonies, dances, and storytelling are important parts of Native American culture. Ceremonies often involve prayers and rituals that honor nature, ancestors, and the Creator. Traditional dances are performed at powwows and other events, and storytelling is used to pass down important lessons and history.
• Cultural Symbols: Symbols like the eagle feather and dreamcatcher hold special meanings in Native American cultures. The eagle feather represents strength, courage, and connection to the Creator. Dreamcatchers, often made by hand, are believed to protect people from bad dreams and negative energy.

Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the contributions and culture of Native American peoples. By participating in events, exploring art and literature, and learning about traditional practices and symbols, we can better understand and appreciate the rich heritage of Native Americans. Whether through a quiz, a craft, or attending a powwow, there are many ways to get involved and honor Native American history this month!

Thanksgiving is a holiday that dates back to the early 1600s. The story begins with the Pilgrims, a group of English settlers who came to America on a ship called the Mayflower. They landed in what is now Massachusetts and faced a tough first winter. Many of them became sick and didn’t have enough food.

The Wampanoag people, who were the Native Americans living in the area, helped the Pilgrims survive by teaching them how to grow crops like corn and where to find food. After their first successful harvest in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag shared a feast together to give thanks for the food and their friendship. This event is often remembered as the first Thanksgiving.

How Do People Celebrate Thanksgiving Today?

Thanksgiving is still celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November. Today, it’s a time for family, food, and gratitude. People come together with their loved ones to share a big meal and reflect on what they’re thankful for. However, Thanksgiving also has different meanings for different people. Some Native Americans see this day as a reminder of the struggles their ancestors faced when Europeans settled in America. It’s important to understand and respect these different perspectives.

Family Gatherings: One of the most important parts of Thanksgiving is spending time with family. Many people travel to be with their loved ones, and they gather around the table to enjoy a traditional meal. This meal often includes dishes like roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.

Gratitude Practices: Thanksgiving is a time to think about all the things we’re grateful for. Some families take turns sharing what they are thankful for before starting their meal. You can do this too—think about the people, experiences, or things in your life that make you happy and say thank you for them.

Recipes and Cuisine: Classic Thanksgiving dishes include roast turkey, the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving dinners, stuffing, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Diverse Celebrations: Thanksgiving is celebrated in many different ways across the country. Some families incorporate their own cultural traditions into the meal. For example, a family with Mexican heritage might add tamales to the Thanksgiving table, while an Italian-American family might serve lasagna alongside the turkey.

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family, enjoy delicious food, and reflect on the things we’re grateful for. Whether you’re cooking a turkey, sharing stories, or starting a new tradition, this holiday is all about gratitude and togetherness. By understanding its history and celebrating in your own way, you can make Thanksgiving a meaningful time for everyone.

All Saints Day:

• Candles: Look for lit candles, which symbolize the remembrance of saints and loved ones who have passed.
• Saints: Small religious figures or icons that represent the saints honored on this day.

Dia De Los Muertos:

• Sugar Skulls: Colorful and decorative skulls that are traditional symbols of this celebration.
• Marigold Flowers: Bright orange and yellow flowers that are commonly used in altars and decorations.
• Altars (Ofrendas): You might see elements that represent traditional altars where offerings are placed for the spirits.

Native American Heritage Month:

• Traditional Patterns: Native American designs and motifs, often geometric and intricate.
• Feathers: Symbols often associated with Native American spirituality and culture.
• Ceremonial Symbols: Items like drums or other elements that reflect Native American ceremonies.

Thanksgiving:

• Family Gatherings: Groups of people sitting together around a table, representing the essence of Thanksgiving.
• Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins: These symbols hint at the harvest and the season, typical of Thanksgiving celebrations.

Thank you for joining us as we explore the diverse cultural celebrations and important traditions of November! We hope you enjoyed learning about the rich histories and customs surrounding All Saints Day, Dia De Los Muertos, Native American Heritage Month, and Thanksgiving.

Let’s continue to honor and celebrate these traditions every day, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultures within our community. Together, we can create a more inclusive and enriched environment. Stay curious, and keep discovering!