November is National Native American Heritage Month, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will be featuring stories, artists, teachers, and scientists from different Indigenous communities around Los Angeles.
The Natural History Museum acquired a painting entitled Fib or Fable by L. Frank, an artist and Two-Spirit person of Tongva, Ajachmem, and Rarámuri descent, whose art is an expression of the invisibility of her culture.
"Historically Coyote often does things that people shouldn’t do and teaches us that there are usually repercussions. So Coyote does very human things, like things we all want to do or not thinking about his actions– but for him, there is always a consequence."
In our younger class we read the story Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest by Gerald McDermott.
In our older class we went deeper in exploring the symbol of the Coyote in many indigenous stories and legends.
We also learned about Indigenous People's Day, and listened to voices of young indigenous people who shared what the recognition of the day means to them.
We learned about a native woman, Toypurina, and how she and many others attempted to rise up against eh San Gabriel Mission.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Celebrating Native American Culture and Heritage at the Natural History Museum
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resources from Zinn Project Education
Five Ideas for Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day from Smithsonian and the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
Borderlands: Toypurina | PBS Lost LA
Becoming San Gabriel: History of Toypurina - at the Natural History Museum
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