On Saturday (Nov. 9, 2024), Jewel Cave National Monument will host their first Native American Heritage Day in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
This event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the monument’s visitor center and will host Native American performers and vendors to celebrate the surface of site.
The event will kick off with remarks from monument Superintendent Kevin Tillman, followed by a performance by hoop dancer Starr Chief Eagle. Next Lakota Elder Mike Lammers will present traditional games and cultural stories, and then hoop dancer Jasmine Bell will perform. The final performance will be a Veterans Ceremony presented by Crazy Horse Memorial. Artisan vendors will be available throughout the day. While attendance to the event itself is free, cave tours will be available for purchase. The monument has very limited food options, so anyone wanting to attend this event all day is encouraged to bring their own lunch and use the picnic tables throughout the parking area.
Jewel Cave National Monument has a lot to celebrate this coming year; 1900 is the first recorded entry into Jewel Cave, making the upcoming year 2025 the 125th anniversary of this discovery. And as the monument gears up to celebrate this momentous occasion with events throughout the year, it also seemed fitting to begin celebrating the hundreds of years of human history on the surface. Jewel Cave looks forward to learning from the performers and vendors at Native American Heritage Day and appreciates their participation. They also thank and appreciate their partners for this event: Crazy Horse Memorial, The Indian University of North America and the Black Hills Parks and Forest Association.
Details and updates will continue to be posted at www.nps.gov/jeca, as well as on social media through Facebook at www.facebook.com/JewelCaveNPS/
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