Indigenous People’s Day

Indigenous people’s day is the day we get to celebrate and honor the lives of native American people throughout the US and the world.  This holiday recognizes the impact of colonialism on native communities, and it’s a time to celebrate native American cultures and history. Indigenous people’s day in the beginning was an alternative to Columbus Day, after Native American’s protested against Columbus Day because it was honoring a man who enabled colonization and forced labor. On October 8th, 2021, Joe Biden was the first ever president to recognize this holiday. He signed a presidential proclamation to make sure this holiday was protected and made known as Indigenous People’s Day and not Columbus day. Due to this we can remember the lives of Native American people without honoring the one who robbed them of independence. Christopher Columbus wasn’t the only person who hurt Native Americans. Thanksgiving is a day of coming together and giving thanks, but it wasn’t always like this. In March of 1621 the Pilgrims met native Americans and they came to a mutual agreement and there was a moment of peace. It seems the moment went to dust far too soon. The Pilgrims used natives for resources without giving any recognition, they forcefully stole land without a second thought and didn’t have any empathy for the Native American people within the land they were taking. Monday October 10th is a day of indigenous independence and a day to celebrate the acceptance and respect native Americans worked so beyond hard for. to celebrate the time it took to rebuild their communities and cultural practice without worry. Time to think of the future how native American boys and girls no longer have to be forced to go to “Christianized” churches to cut their hair and no longer have to be forced to forget their culture and history. It’s a time to embrace Native American culture and with it their history.