November is recognized nationally as Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor and celebrate the history, culture, and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.
At Bellingham Public Library we celebrate this heritage through our commitment to recognizing and supporting Indigenous voices. Our Library staff thoughtfully curates recommendations for reading, listening, and viewing across all ages, offering resources that highlight Native American stories, histories, and perspectives.
We invite our community to explore Native American Heritage materials and engage with the rich traditions and contributions of Native American cultures.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we gather on territory that has been the traditional and ancestral homeland to the Lhaq’temish (the Lummi people), the Nooksack people, and other Coast Salish tribes of this region Since Time Immemorial.
We honor our shared responsibility to this land and these waters, we commit to learning from Indigenous wisdom, and we strive to repair and deepen our relationships as neighbors and friends.
Native American Heritage Books for Adults
Bellingham Public Library has a wide range of relevant titles for adults. Fiction works written by Indigenous authors or featuring Indigenous characters; historical nonfiction that reveals the beauty, the pain, and the truth of the Native American experience; poetry that will captivate and awaken the reader’s imagination.
Check out the Indigenous Voices: Books for Adults list on the Library’s website and browse the Library’s display shelves in-person in November for more options.
We’ve also compiled a list of books located at the Bellingham Public Library on Salish History and Culture for researching and reading about the tribes native to the Pacific Northwest. Some of these titles can be checked out, and others may be used only in-library.
Library Staff Recommends:
The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman
“A brilliant collection of recipes that will instantly win the hearts of any lover of food rights activism, sustainability, foraging and/or delicious recipes. I had no idea how scrumptious sumac berries are!” Adult Nonfiction
– Siena, Public Services Clerk
Never Whistle at Night edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
“An entrancing collection of short stories, featuring horrors both fantastical and all too grounded in reality.” Adult Fiction
– Siena, Public Services Clerk
“Indigenous Horror has been my favorite genre for a couple of years now. It often contains elements of legend, history, trauma, survival, outdoor adventure, and spirituality. I got started by reading anything I could get my hands on by author Stephen Graham Jones, and since then have enjoyed many more including Bad Cree by Jessica Johns, Empire of the Wild by Cherie Dimaline, Moon of the Crusted Snow (and Moon of the Turning Leaves) by Waubegshig Rice, Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina, and, perhaps my favorite, Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories by several authors including Richard Van Camp, Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, and Aviaq Johnston. I recommend all of these!” Adult Fiction
– Jenni, Community Relations Specialist
Native American Heritage Books for Teens
Take a look at the Native Voices list for Middle Grade and YA books by Native American and First Nations authors for some great suggestions.
Library Staff Recommends:
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
“I need more Indigenous fantasy and this book provided! If you like intrepid heroines, dragon academies, and historical fantasy, then this book is a must read!” Recommended for ages 14+
– Siena, Public Services Clerk
Harvest House by Cynthia Leitich Smith
“What if you discovered an actual haunting while working on a ‘fake’ haunted house for Halloween? Part mystery, part slice-of-life as an Indigenous teenager living in the Midwest, Harvest House will have you routing for Hughie Wolfe every step of the way.” Recommended for ages 14+
– Siena, Public Services Clerk
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
“Madness reigns in Cherie Dimaline’s future world. The bulk of humanity has lost the ability to dream. This spells out bad news for those who do dream; North America’s Indigenous peoples. As those who can’t dream forcibly take what they need from the dreamers, 15-year-old Frenchie and his companions wonder if they will ever gain safe haven before ‘the Recruiters’ catch up.”
– Suzanne, Public Services Librarian
Dakwäkãda Warriors by Cole Pauls
“This interstellar romp was so much fun! This book features over 100 words from the Southern Tutchone dialect, creating a playful space to learn and explore. Come for the cyborg sasquatch, stay for the language revitalization!” Recommended for: ages 14+
– Siena, Public Services Clerk
Native American Heritage Books for Children
BPL’s Children’s Librarians have put together some fantastic recommendations for Native American Heritage Month for kids of all ages. Take a look at the Staff Picks page of the Libary’s website where you’ll find the Indigenous Voices: Books for Kids list.
Library Staff Recommends:
Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers, illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz
“We all could use a little reminder to cultivate more patience and forgiveness in our relationships. This story of a Cherokee family navigating sibling frustrations is told with empathy, sweetness, and simplicity. I also loved learning some Cherokee words!” Recommended for ages 2 – 8
– Ali, Children’s Librarian
Still this Love Goes On by Buffy Sainte-Marie & Julie Fett
“Gorgeous illustrations accompanied with lyrical text celebrating seasons and Indigenous traditions. This one can be read or you can sing it! So beautiful.” Recommended for ages 3 and up.
– Bernice, Children’s Librarian
The Raven Mother by Brett D. Huson
“Discover what it is like to be Nox Gaak, the raven mother, as she teaches her chicks to survive in Northwestern British Columbia. This book is filled with great facts about ravens and life for wild mothers told from the Gitxsan tradition. Recommended for ages 4+
Siena, Public Services Clerk
The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
“Middle schooler Maisie, who is Makah/Piscataway, grapples with the repercussions of an injury that sidelines her passion for ballet. On a family road trip to the Olympic Peninsula Maisie contemplates resilience and reinvention, taking inspiration from her Makah ancestors. One of the reasons I was drawn to this story is I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula.” Recommended for ages 8 – 12
– Mandee, Children’s Programming Specialist
Since Time Immemorial Kits
Since Time Immemorial Kits serve as an access point for learning and exploration. Each kit comes in a rolling container and contains an assortment of books, cds, learning activity and resource notebook.
Native American Heritage in Film
Kanopy, a film streaming service that all library patrons can access for free, has curated some great lists featuring Native Americans stories. Whether you enjoy documentaries or feature films, there’s something for everyone. Log in to Kanopy and take a look at these selections!
Bellingham Native American Heritage Events in November
Thursday, November 14, 5:30pm
Pickford Film Center
CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival, in partnership with the Pickford Film Center, is proud to present an important film as its Native American Heritage month selection 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 at the Pickford’s downtown location (1318 Bay St., Bellingham).
“Missing From Fire Trail Road” is a riveting 100-minute documentary directed by Sabina Van Tassel that sheds light on the unsolved case of Mary Ellen Johnson-Davis, who disappeared over two years ago from the Tulalip Indian reservation near Bellingham.
“Situated on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish Peoples, Western Washington University will commemorate Native American Heritage Month in November with a full itinerary of campus events.
‘We celebrate being Native every day,’ said Tribal Liaison Laural Ballew, ‘but the month is a great opportunity for us to share that knowledge and use that platform to remind everyone that we are still here.’
Links for more Information
Children of the Setting Sun Productions
Off the Rez Native Food Truck and Cafe
Resilience Circle Digital Stories
