# @nauflagstaff on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/ClZW1AvrZbZ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/13223829-nauflagstaff-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/f61590f86a.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-11-25T19:47:39.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Northern Arizona University (@nauflagstaff) — https://gondola.cc/nauflagstaff

## Caption

#DYK Today is Native American Heritage Day- a day that honors and recognizes Native Americans as the first people of this nation and celebrates their cultural heritage and integral importance to our past, present, and future. ⁠
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👋🏼 Get to know Darvin Descheny ⁠
Diné (Navajo)⁠
nausocialmedia coordinator⁠
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📍What does being Native mean to you?⁠
To walk, think, and speak in beauty.⁠
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Being Diné, I was taught to live harmoniously with all things around me. This teaching is among the most important and ensures a healthy mind, body, and spirit.⁠
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Being Diné also means to constantly adapt and carry out traditions practiced by my ancestors in a modern world.⁠
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Whether that be blessing myself with corn pollen before my 9–5 job or expressing my two-spirited gender identity with clothing and jewelry.⁠
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📍How do you celebrate Native American Heritage month?⁠
November is a time for reflection, storytelling and family.⁠
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Traditionally, my ancestors considered this a slow time of the year, as November came after the harvest and many other summer activities and ceremonies. The cold weather and short days allowed for families to eat and share stories — that is how I try and celebrate Native American Heritage Month.⁠
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🌮 I try to spend nights eating stew and frybread while my parents tell me traditional and contemporary tales.⁠
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👕 I also celebrate the month by dawning traditional attire.⁠
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Turquoise, moccasins, and velvet are a staple in my wardrobe throughout the month.⁠
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📍How can people be better allies to Native communities?⁠
Simply listening and understanding our stories and perspectives.⁠
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Stories of humanness, of grief, even hearing how someone was raised can give you a broad understanding of the complexities of our communities.⁠
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#NativeAmericanHeritageDay #NAU #NorthernArizonaUniversity #IndigenousAmericans #Flagstaff #HomeOfTheLumberjacks

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## Tags

northernarizonauniversity, indigenousamericans, flagstaff, homeofthelumberjacks, dyk, nau, nativeamericanheritageday

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