Governor Noem Urges Citizens to Observe National Native American Heritage Month

PIERRE, S.D. – November is National Native American Heritage Month. South Dakota’s history is strongly intertwined with Native American history and culture. Governor Kristi Noem said the nine tribes of South Dakota each have unique and important stories that are essential to understanding South Dakota. Every year, we honor these stories and the important role Native Americans continue to play in the evolution of our nation and state.

An important part of preserving Native American culture and heritage is ensuring that Native children stay with Native families. Governor Noem created the Stronger Families Together initiative to recruit more foster families in South Dakota and ensure that every child grows up in a safe and loving home. South Dakota needs more Native foster families to make this happen. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a foster family, please visit StrongerFamiliesTogether.sd.gov.

We also need to continue to bring awareness to issues that currently exist in our Native American communities. There are still many missing and murdered indigenous persons (MMIP) in South Dakota, and this is an incredibly serious and dangerous problem. We need to continue talking about this issue and raise awareness across the state. The attorney general’s office is hiring a full-time employee to lead the Office of the Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons to lead these efforts.

We encourage you to find ways to honor Native American heritage this month. Learn more about Native American history in our state. Educate yourself about important issues like MMIP. Explore a museum or art exhibit across the state that offers an interactive experience with Native American culture and history. Visit a Native American owned business. You can learn more at sdtribalrelations.sd.gov.