05/10/2026
Smithsonian Voices
Dennis Zotigh
May 8, 2020
Family traditions for many of us are different. The concept of Mother Earth symbolizes the highest respect Native peoples have for the planet we all share today. Native ancestral knowledge emphasizes that all life is sacred. Women especially are considered sacred in Native philosophies as they are the givers of life. Without them, humankind cannot replenish itself. Their power is strong and respected. Mothers care for children and teach them the ways they should walk on their life’s journey.
One of the first sounds a child hears in the womb is mother’s heartbeat. Tribal ceremonies and powwows often equate the heartbeat to the beat of a drum. In some tribes, the drum was given to their people by a woman. Many tribes are matrilineal and adhere to female leadership, advice, and kinship.
Each tribe or First Nation has its own word for mother, for example:
Ina (Dakota)
E tsi (Cherokee)
Shimá (Navajo)
Nimaamaa (Ojibway)
T’daw t’daw (Kiowa)
Neinoo (Arapaho)
Ishki (Choctaw)
Ka’nisténhsera (Mohawk)
In many Native circles, every day is mother’s day. But in 1911, President Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order that gave Mother’s Day special prominence for all Americans. Three years later, Wilson lobbied Congress to set aside the second Sunday of May to remember, honor, and thank our mothers. Native communities responded with special events such as powwows, ceremonies, rodeos, feasts, and songs that honor Native mothers.
We asked Native people to share how they celebrate Mother’s Day. Recognizing that family traditions will be different for many of us. We ask our Native friends from across the United States and Canada share your thoughts on Mother’s Day with us.
In the early 20th century, Native people responded to the proclamation of Mother’s Day with powwows, ceremonies, rodeos, feasts, and songs that honor Native mothers. How do American Indians celebrate today? Recognizing that family traditions for many of us will be different this year, Native frien...
