Honoring, reflecting, and learning

Portland marks Native American Heritage Month with Indigenous portraits

A woman stands before a portrait of herself affixed to a brick building.

“We Are The Land” portraits spotlight local Native American activists, volunteers, and community members. | Photo by Josue Rivas via Tribal Relations/INDÍGENA

November is Native American Heritage Month, also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

First designated in 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month” by then-President George H.W. Bush, the recognition reminds us of the importance of celebrating rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and acknowledging the important contributions of Native people. It’s also intended to raise awareness about the past and current challenges Native people face — and the work that remains to be done.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the City of Portland Tribal Relations team partnered with the Indigenous storytelling collective, INDÍGENA, to showcase portraits of local Native people in public spaces.

The “We Are The Land” installations are meant to connect Portlanders to the spirit of local Native tribes while highlighting the diversity, beauty, and strength of the urban Indigenous community. The city said the project will help it and its partners “further integrate, protect, and uphold the sacrality of Indigeneity” by sparking much-needed conversations.

Two people walk past a brick building with several portraits of Indigenous people pasted along the side. — A final installation from the project will reportedly appear at OMSI for six to eight months.

With the help of the City Arts Program, Regional Arts and Culture Council, and Multnomah County and Metro, portraits by local photographer Josué Rivas were affixed to the exterior of several buildings in the heart of the city.

Here’s where you can find the portraits through the month of November:

RACC | 411 NW Park Ave.
Northeast Health Center | 5329 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
OMSI | 1945 SE Water Ave.
Native Arts and Cultures Foundation | 800 SE 10th Ave.
Multnomah County Elections Division | 1040 SE Morrison St.
Multnomah County Courthouse | 1200 SW First Ave.

Click here to have your event featured.

Tuesday, Nov. 22

Tommy Castro & the Painkillers | Tuesday, Nov. 22 | 8 p.m. | Polaris Hall, 635 N. Killingsworth Ct., Portland | $25 | The soul-blues rocker celebrates his 30th year as a bandleader with special guest Ben Rice.

Wednesday, Nov. 23

Tree Lighting Ceremony | Wednesday, Nov. 23 | 5 p.m. | ilani’s Valet Parking Lot, 1 Cowlitz Way, Ridgefield | Free | Sing with the Dickens Carolers, visit with Santa, and enjoy free cookies, cocoa, and coffee as the casino kicks off the festive season.
A Very Merry PDX-mas | Wednesday, Nov. 23-Thursday, Dec. 22 | Times vary | Broadway Rose Theatre Company, 12850 SW Grant Ave., Tigard | $20-$50 | This holiday revue created for local audiences combines classic carols, holiday pop songs, and original offbeat material.

Thursday, Nov. 24

Portland Tofurky Trot | Thursday, Nov. 24 | 8 a.m. | Oaks Park Dance Pavilion, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland | $0-$40 | Join Northwest Veg in supporting Oregon-based animal sanctuaries in this trot-at-your-own-pace 5k.

Friday, Nov. 25

Santa’s Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony | Friday, Nov. 25 | 4:30 p.m. | Yamhill County Jail Parking Lot, 635 NE Fifth St., McMinnville | Free | Come for the old-fashioned starlight parade and annual tree lighting, stay for the holiday shopping, caroling, and a visit from Santa.
Christkindlmarkt | Friday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 27 | Times vary | Various locations in Downtown Mt. Angel | Free | This outdoor German Christmas festival combines the town’s beloved Oktoberfest, Hazelnut Fest, and German Holiday Market into one big event with vendors, a tree lighting, and beer and wine gardens.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

MORE HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Weather

53º | Cloudy with rainy periods | 94% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:19 a.m.
Set: 4:33 p.m.

Sports

Portland will host the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Final Four for the first time in 2030. Games will be played at Moda Center, while the Oregon Convention Center will host the WBCA Coaches Convention, resulting in an estimated 11,000 hotel bookings between downtown Portland and the Lloyd District. 🏀 (KGW)
If you’re into (or even sort of into) sports: The GIST is a must-subscribe newsletter that provides a refreshing female voice and perspective on sports four times a week. Read: If ‘do the thing and score the points’ is your baseline understanding, you might enjoy this to uplevel your knowledge. ⚽ *

Ranked

Kann, a Southeast Portland restaurant and “love letter to Haiti” from chef Gregory Gourdet, has earned the top spot on Esquire’s annual Best New Restaurants in America list. Writer Joshua David Stein praises the eatery’s “incantatory flavors” that draw members of the Haitian diaspora and those new to Creole dining from across the country. 🇭🇹 (Esquire)

Biz

Alpenrose Dairy is moo-ving out of Southwest Portland. The business, which has operated for decades on Southwest Shattuck Road, will relocate to Clackamas where it recently bought Larsen’s Creamery. Plans are already in the works to develop a housing subdivision on the ~51 acres that will be left behind. 🐄 (Portland Business Journal)

Edu

Horizon and Alaska Airlines donated a commercial passenger plane to Portland Community College. The aircraft will be used by students in the school’s Aviation Science programs amid a nationwide shortage of aviation workers. ✈️ (KGW)

Opening

Adidas TERREX will open its first North American retail pop-up store right here in Portland. The 3,842-sqft shop at 1411-1435 NW Flanders St. will offer gear for snow sports, hiking, trail running, and mountain biking from Thursday, Dec. 1 to May of 2023, along with special film screenings, happy hours, and workshops. 🎿

Portlander

We’ll-make-this-quick-so-you-can-get-back-to-other-things. Portland is the fastest-talking city in the US, according to a new report from The Preply that analyzed data regarding YouTube videos and call recordings. Portlanders’ average rate of speech is 5.38 syllables per second, while the nationwide average is 5.09. 🗣️ (The Preply)

Outdoors

After a day of feasting, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department invites people to get outside and walk off the food coma at state parks. Day-use parking fees will be waived on “Green Friday” (Nov. 25) at 24 parks that are open and typically charge for parking. 🌲

Award

Oregon-based nonprofit Earth Advantage has awarded several local builders for creating climate-friendly and energy-efficient homes in the Portland area. Winners include Ichijo USA, David Weekley Homes, Stone Bridge Homes NW, Carleton Hart Architecture, and Northwest Housing Alternatives for “helping to normalize healthy and sustainable building.”

Shop

Why wait to start shopping this holiday season? Check out our gift guides featured on our online shop Six & Main. Shop for the pet lover, party host, and foodie in your life. There’s something special for everyone. Let the shopping begin. 🛍️

The Buy

Unbox the best holiday gift of all: a smile you’re proud of. SmileDirectClub is the easiest way to straighten your teeth in as little as 60 days — for 60% less than Invisalign or braces. 👀 *

Seasonal

We’re all about staying warm throughout the colder months, which means we’re leveling up our typical outerwear to something a little toastier. Enter: heated jackets. We love this one for its three different heat levels and this slim fit option with 5,000+ five star reviews.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Avoid a Thanksgiving cluster-pluck 🦃

Thanksgiving safety tips from Portland Fire & Rescue

An inferno surrounds a fryer as two firefighters demonstrate the explosive effects of incorrectly frying a turkey.

Firefighters demonstrate the potentially explosive consequences of frying a turkey incorrectly. | Photo by Portland Fire & Rescue

If your Thanksgiving plans require you to spend time in the kitchen this week, Portland Fire & Rescue has some safety tips to keep in mind — and to keep everyone out of the emergency room.

Did you know cooking causes 49% of all reported home fires? Always stay in the kitchen while food is cooking, check that your smoke alarms are working, and keep kids entertained in safer rooms.

What you wear while preparing the meal is also crucial, but not only to impress Grandma — avoid loose-fitting garments that can catch on fire if you get too close to the stove.

For those frying a turkey, first off, our invitation to your feast must have gotten lost in the mail — but more importantly, firefighters want you to follow these tips (or watch their video that’s absolutely lit):

Find an outdoor spot at least 10 ft away from structures
Wear thick, protective clothing
Use a thawed and dry turkey
Keep a fire extinguisher within arm’s reach
Let the oil cool completely before cleaning the deep fryer

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Cambrie.

Editor’s pick: I stopped by Interurban on North Mississippi Avenue for a bite and a drink on Sunday evening. The Corpse Reviver #2 cocktail and the homestyle-cut curly fries were fantastic, and the moody, modern saloon atmosphere and friendly staff made for a perfect cap to the weekend. Pro tip: It’s open late (2:30 a.m.) every day.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Keep the holidays on track with a ride on The Holiday Express.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Terri Kiesenhofer | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY