Every second Monday in October, communities across the country celebrate Indigenous People’s Day and honor the history and culture of indigenous people.
Understanding and celebrating Indigenous People’s Day is crucial for recognizing the true history of this land and the contributions of Indigenous communities.
This year, Indigenous People’s Day fell on Oct. 14. This holiday was officially recognized in 2021 by President Joe Biden, allowing it to serve as an alternative to Columbus Day. This change was made to acknowledge the rich history, culture and contributions of indigenous people and also to counter false stories about the celebration of Columbus Day.
Before that there was a long history of indigenous people protesting to have basic human rights and was continuously denied and let down by the government, according to the National Park Service.
According to the National Indian Council On Aging (NICOA), “In 1977, a delegation of Native nations at the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas proposed renaming Columbus Day to ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day.’”
After that, it took 15 years for the first city, Berkeley, California, to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 1992.
There are many ways to commemorate Native Americans around the area.
Take a trip to downtown Chicago to visit the Field Museum, where a grand performance is held on the very day. Watch people tell their stories and share their pride through dances and songs.
There is something for everyone to enjoy, like Huehcoyotol performers coming to teach kids a few of their dance moves and even getting a unique reading from the North American Anthropology staff members there.
They also offer an exhibit in the museum, Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories, to take a look at and it was created by a few indigenous people across the country. It was opened May 10 and is now claimed permanent.
Community engagement is how we learn and dispute the myths that we have heard. But for those unable to attend events, reading books by indigenous authors or watching documentaries on indigenous history are other meaningful ways to observe the day.
These are a few of the different ways we can begin to celebrate this holiday and all it represents.
According to the National Congress of American Indians, over 70 cities replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day by 2023. This represents the growing movement towards being more inclusive.