Native American Veterans Proudly Wear Their Military Uniforms As They Dance At A Powwow

Aug 27, 2020

The United States has a dark past when it comes to its history of colonization and the state’s treatment of Native Americans. However, despite hundreds of years of prejudice and mistreatment — much of which unfortunately continues today — Native Americans have continued to serve in the military. This commitment to patriotism was on display back in 2018 when a group of Native American veterans participated in the annual Lame Deer military powwow in Montana, which involved indigenous song and dance. In this article, we’ll explore a particular group of Native American soldiers who served in the U.S. military and have left their mark on U.S. history.

According to the National Native American Veterans Memorial, Native Americans have served in the military in greater numbers than any other ethnic group during the post 9/11 period. The Veterans Memorial also notes that Native Americans veterans are often decorated soldiers, winning Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars, and the Congressional Medal of Honor.

In the Northern Cheyenne indigenous community, this Native patriotism is on display almost every year at the Lame Deer Veterans Powwow. The annual powwow, which is a celebration of native culture and those who have served, was captured on video in 2018, and it demonstrates how indigenous communities have been and continue to be incredibly important to the U.S. military and its history.

Take Ira Hayes, for example. Hayes, who grew up in the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, raised the flag on Iwo Jima around 75 years ago, as USA Today reports. And thanks to a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo that captured the American imagination and left an indelible mark on U.S. history, Hayes has been immortalized as a war hero.

"Ira was an idol to the community, a hero and a role model," Brian Alphus Jr., who is Native American and comes from the same reservation, told USA Today.

In February of 2020, Gila River Indian community members gathered at Veterans Memorial Park on the Gila River Indian Community to remember Hayes and his legacy.

And Hayes wasn’t an exception. Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil, will also be remembered as a patriot and hero. Piestewa, who belonged to the Hopi Nation, was killed in 2003 while serving in the Iraq war. Following Piestewa’s death, the army promoted her to Specialist, and Arizona’s Piestewa Peak was named after the soldier.

Finally, no tribute to Native American soldiers would be complete without mentioning the incredible Native American Code talkers who, according to the National Museum of the American Indian, were responsible for communication coded messages about troop movements to fellow allies in WWII. Since the soldiers were Native, many would communicate in their languages to talk to fellow tribal members.

These soldiers are just a few examples of Native American patriots. Americans who — despite years of discrimination — continue to proudly serve their country.

Did you know that Native Americans played such an important role in the U.S. military? Let us know. And make sure to pass this article on so that members of the indigenous community who served get the recognition they deserve.