The month of November is National Native American Heritage Month. During the month of November we honor the contributions, traditions, and values of the first natives of America. President Barack Obama has made the following statement, “In November as we celebrate the rich traditions of the American Indians, we cannot forget the long and unfortunate years of discrimination, violence, and deprivation they had to endure.
For too long the Native American heritage that we honor today was disrespected and devalued. Native Americans were told that their land, religion and language were not theirs to keep. We cannot ignore these events, but we can work together to forge a brighter future. In a spirit of true partnership and mutual trust, my administration is committed to respecting the sovereignty of tribal nations and upholding the United States’ treaty obligations to the nations of the Native Americans.” We here at Gethsemane thank President Barack Obama for his commitment and pray that the Native Americans will indeed have a brighter future.