About the Cover Artist
November celebrates National Native American Heritage Month with the official designation signed into law in 1990 to call attention to the culture , traditions , and achievements of the nation ’ s original inhabitants and their descendants . This month ’ s cover celebrates and honors Native Americans , many of whom own and operate businesses within the cannabis industry .
The cover art for this issue was created for us by Native American and artist Saydee Whitebird . Saydee is the CEO and Co-Founder of Whitebird Logistics , LLC . A cannabis consulting company focused on Tribal Entities ’ success in the cannabis industry . She has eight years of experience in multi-state commercial cannabis operations that remain successful today .
Saydee belongs to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa ( Minnesota ) and has lived and worked most of her life on the reservation . In her artistic career , she has illustrated several published children ’ s books and novel covers . Saydee has had her artwork displayed and auctioned off in the world-famous Heard Museum for several years and has sold several artworks to Tribal medical clinics .
Saydee says her cover art for this issue is titled “ Mashkiki ” ( meaning Medicine in Ojibwe ). “ I created this piece with Tribal communities across the country in mind . I have lived in a few states across the country and always made it a point to connect with local Tribes . The beauty in the communities I have seen and lived in is something that always brought grace to my soul . The connection to nature and to their community was my inspiration for getting into and staying in the cannabis industry . It is a plant provided to us by our Great Spirit , our sacred Mother Earth , and has been kept from our communities in an unjust way by the Federal Government .
“ An alternative medicine [ cannabis ] that can help the people of Tribal communities with numerous opportunities . The treatment of this plant by the Federal Government has negatively impacted several generations of various communities across the country ,” said Saydee . “ In my viewpoint , the Government made war on this plant many years ago and still shows the support of that war by keeping federal legalization out of further discussions , allowing unsustainable regulations and taxes in states that are legal , and not allowing more funding to support legitimate research by institutions , which is why I have chosen the miigwani-wiiwakwaan ( feather bonnet ) as seen in my cover art .
“ Thousands of members of various tribal communities fought to keep this plant alive and well , with imprisonment as their consequence for simply supporting a medicine they believed in and helped them . The
Ojibwe man on this cover art smokes the pipe in prayer to the Creator for one day to see peace in this war . To one day see unity and the betterment of humankind and our Mother Earth . For this has been the wish of Tribal communities for centuries ,” Saydee concluded .
More about National Native American Heritage Month
Men of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa also served as Native American “ Code talkers ” for the U . S . Armed Services during World War II . Native Americans used their tribal languages as a means of secret communication during wartime . Code talkers were integral to the U . S . ultimately winning the war .
The Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2008 required the Secretary of the Treasury to strike Congressional Medals in recognition of the dedication of “ Code talkers .” Under the Act , unique gold medals were struck for each Native American tribe with a member who served as a code talker . The reverse design features the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe Seal . The obverse design depicts a World War II code talker transcribing and receiving information . A beading pattern is at the bottom rim of the design and foliage is incorporated at the top rim , representing the Fond du Lac Tribe code talkers who served in the South Pacific . The Navajo Nation code talkers were also awarded Congressional Gold Medals in 2001 under Public Law 106-554 .
Throughout the year , and especially during November , Native American Heritage Month , the National Park Service ( NPS ) and its partners celebrate together the rich traditions , languages , and contributions of Indigenous people . Join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans by visiting the NPS Commemorations and Celebrations website at https :// www . nps . gov / subjects / npscelebrates / native-american-heritage-month . htm .
For more information about Saydee Whitebird , visit her website www . whitebirdlogistics . com . To learn more about the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa , visit https :// www . fdlrez . com .
A special thank you to Taylor Whitebird-Salo , who assisted with the cover art and her help bringing it all together for this issue .
28 November 2023