Have you ever wondered why we get the day off from school on October 13th? While it’s often labeled as a “student holiday” or “teacher workday”, there’s more to it than just that. This day is celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It is a time to recognize and commemorate the culture and history of our Native communities.
Although the original holiday was called Columbus Day, celebrating Christopher Columbus, who supposedly “discovered” the New World, the narrative has shifted over the past few decades. Now, Indigenous Peoples’ Day serves as a reminder that Indigenous people were the first ones in the New World, addressing Columbus’s failure to acknowledge this.
The holiday was first recognized in 2021, when President Joe Biden issued the official presidential proclamation observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It was a big step toward acknowledging the past and honoring the rich traditions of Indigenous people. This holiday was first celebrated on October 11, 2021. It took President Joe Biden a total of 261 days after entering office to make his first Presidential Proclamation for the Indigenous People. He acknowledged the real history and mistreatment that was happening. The more we learn about this day, the more we can understand why it truly matters.
Where did this holiday originate from? It took a long time for the Indigenous people to get the recognition that they deserve. Indigenous people made their first proposal in 1977 at a United Nations Conference to clear the air and address what really happened— Christopher Columbus wasn’t the first one to “discover” the New World, Indigenous people were already there. When he discovered the New World for himself, he unknowingly started spreading diseases, and shortly after, slavery started appearing. The “New World” was what Columbus thought he had found in 1492 when his ship landed in the Caribbean. What he failed to acknowledge was that there were people with their own cultures and civilizations already occupying that land.
Indigenous Day isn’t really a holiday but more of a Day of Recognition. The number of states recognizing it is only starting to grow. Taking time to focus on the culture and the real history behind this day is important. Only 4 out of 10 students know the history of Indigenous Day. Although it’s not often discussed in school, it is important to acknowledge the meaning and significance of Indigenous Day.
