In school we learned that history was the history of white colonialism, and that in 1492, Columbus discovered America. We were also taught that the indigenous people were called Indians, because they did not have the decency to be living in India, where Columbus thought he was at the time. Worse yet, they attacked us, because they were too impatient to wait for us to complete the genocide before civilizing them. Ever since, we have celebrated Columbus Day on this date (or a close Monday), but whose day is it, really?
On Monday [today] in the nation’s capital, there is no Columbus Day. The D.C. Council voted to replace it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in a temporary move that it hopes to make permanent. Several other places across the United States have also made the switch in a growing movement to end the celebration of the Italian explorer in favor of honoring Indigenous communities and their resiliency in the face of violence by European explorers like Christopher Columbus.
Baley Champagne is responsible for that change in her home state of Louisiana. The tribal citizen of the United Houma Nation petitioned the governor, John Bel Edwards, to change the day. He did, along with several other states this year.
“It’s become a trend,” Champagne said. “It’s about celebrating people instead of thinking about somebody who actually caused genocide on a population or tried to cause the genocide of an entire population. By bringing Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we’re bringing awareness that we’re not going to allow someone like that to be glorified into a hero, because of the hurt that he caused to Indigenous people of America.”… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NPR>
I could not agree more. I fully support the switch to Indigenous People’s Day. For more information, click here.
RESIST!!
7 Responses to “Whose Day Is It, Really?”
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I have no idea what Colorado calls it. I personally call it Indigenous People’s Day., when I call it anything at all besides “a holiday.”
I realize it is apparently meaningful to Italian-Americans, but the fact is, there was no such country as Italy at the time. He was not so much Italian as Genoese. If Italy had been a nation, he wouldn’t have had to go to Spain to get funding.
Surely we can think of an Italian (or what would become Italian) of better character to celebrate. I nominate Francis of Assissi – and his feast day is October 3, so we wouldn’t even have to use a different month. It wouldn’t need to be a Federal holiday – St. Patrick’s Day isn’t – and is all the better for tit. Then we could all just keep this holiday as Indigenous People’s Day for everyone.
I completely agree with your sentiments, Tom.
Couldn’t have said it any better either.
Indigenous People’s Day. Amen!!
Three times I’ve visited friends in NYC for leaf-peeping over this holiday – and Columbus Day is a HUGE celebration there. Understandable given the large Italian population. They have a humongous parade just a little smaller than their St. Pat’s one.
I agree with re-branding it as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” – but I doubt it’ll catch on in NYC.
(Not sure why, but it was not that big of a celebration in Chicago when I was in medical school there. Seems odd now, given they, too, have a large Italian population.)
In Canada, today is Thanksgiving day. One of the many things that I am very thankful for are my friends here and elsewhere. As I understand things, Thanksgiving here was started as a response to the harvests and is more closely aligned with the end of harvest than the US Thanksgiving. As to Columbus, oh pshaw! He was lost and a particularly nasty individual.
I favour Indigenous Peoples’ Day and point to Squanto, really the first advisor and diplomat to the Plymouth Rock people, as a prime reason. Squanto.
I also agree with all of you.
I except the change 100%,
Indigenous People’s Day!
Normally I would let this pass, but since living Down Under, which celebrates Australia Day on 26 January, it certainly matters to me. January 26 isn’t the day of Cook’s landing, but the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. How colonial can you get?
The right-wing government insists that Australia Day is a day of celebration for all Australians and the indigenous people should stop insisting it is celebrated on another day. Of Course.
Well, as you can guess, it’s not only the First Nation’s people who want to have the date moved, and preferably not to April 29, the day Cook landed in Botany Bay…
Thanks and hectic, hurry hugs to all!