Indigenous Cultural Events

 

A note about terms

The term Native American is typically used in political and academic matters. When Native Americans refer to themselves and to personal matters, they might use Indian, American Indian, First American, First Peoples, or Indigenous Peoples instead of Native American.

 

For over 10,000 years before Yellowstone became a national park, it was a place where Native Americans lived, hunted, fished, gathered plants, quarried obsidian, and used thermal waters for religious and medicinal purposes. Today, there are at least 27 Tribes who have historic and modern connections to the lands and resources now found within the park.

Indigenous cultural events in Yellowstone:

Check the online calendar, NPS App, or at visitor centers for additional daily activities and events happening throughout the park.

 

Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center

May 20 - October 11, 2024 | Old Faithful area | View schedule of presenters

The Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center is a space where Indigenous artists, scholars, and presenters from the 27 Tribes associated with the park directly engage with visitors through formal and informal education. The center is a partnership between the National Park Service and Yellowstone Forever, with Indigenous consultation.

During the 2024 season, presentations will include photography, beadwork, moccasin making, dancing, storytelling, quillwork, and more! The Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center is centrally located in the Old Faithful area between the Old Faithful Lodge and the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center.

 

Yellowstone Revealed 2024 by Mountain Time Arts

June 14 - September 9, 2024 | Park entrances | Learn more

Yellowstone National Park is honored to host for a third year “Yellowstone Revealed,” a collaborative effort with Mountain Time Arts. The theme for this year’s experience is “How the Land Remembers Us: Tribal Tipi Lodge and Buffalo Stories.”

Tipi installations will be on display at each of the park’s five entrances, offering opportunities for visitors to learn about Indigenous history and contemporary culture. Visitors can expect a thought-provoking and visceral experience that presents art and storytelling as a means to explore the significance of Tribal Peoples and their tipi lodges within Yellowstone National Park.

Mountain Time Arts will host a virtual "visit with the tipis" during the week of July 8 on social media. An opening celebration will take place June 14, as well as a closing celebration on September 9. For more information about these events, visit Mountain Time Arts' website.

 

Voices of Yellowstone: First Peoples Celebration

August 4-10, 2024 | Gardiner, Montana | View detailed schedule of events

"Voices of Yellowstone: First Peoples Celebration" will take place August 4-10, 2024, in Gardiner, Montana. This event, hosted by Yellowstone Forever in partnership with Yellowstone National Park and in collaboration with the Pretty Shield Foundation, Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, and Gardiner Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, aims to honor and celebrate the diverse cultures of the Indigenous Peoples of Yellowstone—past, present, and future.

The public is invited to participate in this free, week-long event. An opening ceremony on Sunday, August 4 will feature a blessing, drumming, and opening remarks. Educational opportunities throughout the week will include illuminated teepees, cultural demonstrations, an Indigenous art market, a night of Native games, cultural tours, and a community potluck. The celebration will be brought to a poignant and powerful close with a closing ceremony on Saturday, August 10, which will feature guest speakers, a drum circle, and the final lighting of the illuminated teepees.

For more information and a detailed schedule of events, visit Yellowstone Forever’s website.

 

Thank you to everyone who participated in Indigenous cultural events in 2024! Stay tuned for events taking place in 2025.

More Information