Winona Area Public SchoolsNovember is Native American Heritage Month. According to the National Congress of American Indians, the month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.
In honor of indigenous populations and for the first American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC) meeting of the year, AIPAC co-chair Patrick Boozhoo and his crew — which included his children — set up a tipi in a green space by the high school and district office. Please do not go in the tipi unless accompanied by a member of the AIPAC.
Resources have been shared with WAPS staff interested in integrating them into class discussions or lessons at each level, and we want to share them with the Winona community.
Native American Heritage Month for Teachers: Put the power of primary sources to work in the classroom. Browse ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids.
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council: Their mission is to protect the sovereignty of the 11 Minnesota tribes and ensure the well being of all American Indian citizens throughout the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota Indian Tribes and Languages: Welcome to our Minnesota State Facts section, part of an educational project designed to provide information about indigenous people in different U.S. states. Follow the links to the right of our tribal map for more information about the language, culture and history of each Minnesota tribe, or scroll below the map for Minnesota Indian activities including a wordsearch, fact sheets, and words from the Native American languages of Minnesota. Feel free to print any of these materials out for classroom use!
Minnesota American Indians: The name Minnesota comes from the Dakota (Sioux) words mnisota meaning "sky-tinted waters" or "sky-blue waters." There are numerous Indian origin place names throughout the state many beginning with mni or minne meaning water. For example, Minneapolis is a hybrid of minne and "polis", the Greek word for city, i.e. city of water or "City of Lakes." Click the link for more information.
Native American Heritage: Ojibwe (or Anishinaabe) and Dakota (Sioux) heritage figure strongly in Minnesota’s past and its present. Use the links below to discover some of the best places to admire tribal artistry, learn about their histories, and appreciate their cultures through storytelling and music.
Minnesota Indian Tribes: A map of reservations and treaties, along with more links to current and historical details.
Learn an indigenous language: This link provides information about apps to learn indigenous languages.