Secretary of the Deb Haaland delivers remarks at the opening of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on June 26, 2024.

Haaland, a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, is the first Native person to serve in a presidential cabinet. She’s also the first Native person to lead the Department of the Interior, the federal agency with the most trust and treaty responsibilities in Indian Country.

The welcoming ceremony for the 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival took place at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington, D.C. The theme of the event is “Indigenous Voices of the Americas: Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian,” showcasing Indigenous peoples throughout North, Central and South America, along with commemorating the 20th anniversary of the NMAI, which opened to the public in September 2004.

The festival runs from June 26 through July 1 on the National Mall. For more information, visit festival.si.edu.