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How to use transit to celebrate Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month

October 31, 2022

11 01 22 Native American Heritage Month Blog Header3

November is Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month, a time to recognize and celebrate native and Indigenous people and their history and culture. The RTA has curated a list of activities around the region you can access via CTA, Metra, or Pace.

Events

Native American Artisan & Craft Fair

The Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative is hosting a Native American Artisan & Craft Fair to support Great Lakes Native American artists. Stop by and shop pottery, textiles, children’s books, and more. This event is free and open to the public.

When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on November 5 and 6

Where: West Lake Forest Train Station, 911 Telegraph Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045

How to get there:

  • Metra MD-N Line (Lake Forest stop)

Learn more.

First Nations Film and Video Festival

Spend Sunday afternoon watching five short films by Indigenous Filmmakers of the Americas. The First Nations Film and Video Festival showcases works by Native American directors of all skill levels and provides a venue for their works that promote Native American first-voice and self-representation in film and media. Hosted by several venues across Chicago and beyond, the festival has become a major showcase for Native American films that sometimes screen nowhere else.

When: 2-3:45 p.m. on November 6

Where: Edgewater Chicago Public Library, 6000 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660

How to get there:

  • CTA Red Line (Thorndale stop) and walk for 3 minutes (0.2 miles).
  • CTA Bus Route #36 (Broadway & Elmdale stop).
  • Metra UP-N line (Rogers Park stop), then walk for 12 minutes (0.6 miles) to take the Red Line to Thorndale, and walk 3 minutes (0.2 miles).

Learn more.

Native American Heritage Month Story Time Live from The Field Museum

Kids 5 and younger and their families are invited to join Librarian Daylily and staff from The Field Museum for story time celebrating Native American Heritage Month and honoring the many Indigenous nations that have called and still call Chicago home. Join virtually or in person from Pawnee Earth Lodge, part of the Museum's new permanent exhibit, Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories. Admission to the Field Museum is free to Illinois residents on this date.

When: 10-10:45 a.m. on November 9

Where: The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605

How to get there:

  • CTA Orange, Red, and Green Lines (Roosevelt Stop) and walk for 13 minutes (0.6 miles) or catch the CTA Bus #146 (Soldier Field & Field Museum stop).
  • Metra Electric Line and South Shore Line (Museum Campus/ 11th Street Station) and walk for 8 minutes (0.4 miles)

Learn more.

Native American Pow Wow

The Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative invites you to come out to the 26th Annual Harvest Pow Wow, where you can enjoy crafts, food, music, and Native American dancing and drumming. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and older, $7 for children 3-12, and free for children younger than 3. Purchase tickets online for a discounted price or call 773-585-8613.

When: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on November 12 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on November 13

Where: DuPage County Fair Grounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton, IL 60187

How to get there:

  • Metra UP-W (Wheaton stop) and walk for 23 minutes or bike for 7 minutes (1.2 miles).

Learn more.

Indigenous History, Mystery, and Cultural Pride with Mama Edie McLoud Armstrong

Visit Beverly Library on the South Side of Chicago to enjoy the musical storytelling of Mama Edie, an African Native American who will guide you through the Indigenous history of her ancestry. Enjoy multicultural instruments and dolls and be ready to become part of the story yourself. The event is free, but registration is encouraged.

When: 11 a.m.-noon on November 18

Where: Beverly Chicago Public Library, 1962 W. 95th St., Chicago, IL 60643

How to get there:

  • CTA Bus Route #95 (95th Street & Damen stop).
  • Pace Bus Routes #381 or #395 (95th Street & Damen stop).
  • CTA Bus Route #9 (95th Street & Ashland stop), then walk for 11 minutes (0.5 miles) or transfer to CTA Bus Route #95 or Pace Bus Route #381 (95th Street & Damen stop).
  • Metra Rock Island District Line (95th – Beverly Hills stop) and walk for 5 minutes (0.3 miles).

Learn more.

Native American Pottery Making

Children ages 3-13 are invited to make their own pottery, but all ages are welcome to learn about Native American pottery making at this northwest side library event.

When: 4-5 p.m. on November 22

Where: Roden Chicago Public Library, 6083 N. Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL 60631

How to get there:

  • CTA Bus Route #68 (Northwest Hwy & Raven stop).
  • Metra UP-NW Line (Norwood Park stop).

Learn more.

Museums and Exhibits

Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories at The Field Museum

Even if you don’t swing by The Field Museum for any events celebrating the month, you can visit the museum’s permanent exhibit Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories any time. You’ll experience stories told by Native people—through words, music, dance, and art—of self-determination, resilience, continuity, and the future.

Where: The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605

How to get there:

  • CTA Orange, Red, and Green Lines (Roosevelt Stop) and walk for 13 minutes (0.6 miles) or catch the CTA Bus #146 (Soldier Field & Field Museum stop).
  • Metra Electric Line and South Shore Line (Museum Campus/ 11th Street Station) and walk for 8 minutes (0.4 miles)

Learn more.

American Indian Center Gallery

The American Indian Center Gallery provides a vehicle for artistic expression by cultivating and exhibiting historical and contemporary Native histories in Chicago. Visit all month long and beyond to learn about and celebrate Indigenous culture.

Where: 3401 W. Ainslie St., Chicago, IL 60625

How to get there:

  • CTA Bus Routes #82 and #93 (Kimball & Ainslie stop).
  • CTA Brown Line (Kimball stop) and walk for 3 minutes (0.2 miles).
  • CTA Bus Route #81 (Lawrence & Kimball stop) and walk for 3 minutes (0.2 miles).
  • Metra UP-NW Line (Jefferson Park stop), then transfer to CTA Bus Route #81 (Lawrence & Kimball stop) and walk for 3 minutes (0.2 miles).

Learn more.

Mitchell Museum of the American Indian

This Evanston museum is one of only a handful across the country that focus exclusively on the art, history, and culture of Native American and First Nation peoples from throughout the United States and Canada. It promotes public understanding of cultural diversity through first voice perspectives, meaning the perspectives of Indigenous people themselves.

Where: 3001 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201

How to get there:

  • CTA Bus Routes #201 and #206 (Central Street & Central Park stop).
  • CTA Purple Line (Central stop), then transfer to CTA Bus Route #201 (Central Street & Central Park stop).
  • Metra UP-N (Central Street stop), then transfer to CTA Bus Route #201 (Central Street & Central Park stop) or walk for 21 minutes (1 mile).

Learn more.

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Tagged in: Chicago | CTA | Metra | Pace | How to use transit

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