Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first instituted in 1992 in Berkeley, California. It wasn’t celebrated nationally until 2021, when President Joe Biden marked the holiday with a presidential proclamation. Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes the strengths and perseverance of the Indigenous communities since the arrival of Columbus and the Europeans in 1492. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is usually celebrated with or in place of Columbus Day. While Columbus Day traditionally marked the arrival of Christopher Columbus in North America and his ‘‘discovery’’ of new land, this land was already occupied by the Indigenous people.
The word “Indigenous” refers to the land’s original inhabitants. On this day, we are simply honoring the people who were here before the rest of us. In an article by bgca.org, a woman named Carla said, “Native people have battled the odds to overcome centuries of oppression, and to find ways to thrive and prosper. For Native people like me, there’s an opportunity in this more culturally connected world to reclaim our history and our stories and for other people to recognize and respect them.” Over 100 cities have adopted the holiday, with some activists advocating to replace Columbus Day altogether. It’s argued that Columbus brought genocide and colonization to the communities that predated him.
In an article from the AP News, Kyle Mays, an associate professor of American Indian Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, “This day is about reclaiming histories. It’s acknowledging the history of dispossession and violence against Indigenous people.” We must know the history behind Indigenous Peoples’ Day and question the continued celebration of Columbus Day, a holiday many observe without knowing its origin or implications.