As fall rolls around, so do the holidays. In fact, the holiday season doesn’t start with Halloween. It kicks off with Columbus Day. Unless you work in a bank, school, post office, or other government agency, though, you may overlook Columbus Day — much like my students did until I told them about the three-day weekend as they left class on Friday.
Honestly, a lot of people wonder why we still celebrate Columbus Day. Many cities in America are actually rebranding the holiday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day so that it honors the original people of America, not the explorer who essentially started a genocide.
If you’d like to follow suit today and honor Native Americans instead of Christopher Columbus, there are many ways to do that.
For example, you could look for local events or non-profit groups that provide educational events.
These courses or events will help you learn about the local tribes in your area and may even provide you with ways to support Native American communities in your geographic area.
You can also make plans to visit museums or other cultural sites with artifacts and other historical items.
This is an especially great option for history buffs or families with children as it provides you with tangible items to explore while you brush up on Native American history.
Furthermore, you can also take a hands-on approach by creating crafts or other items based on Native American artifacts. Dream catchers or even traditional jewelry items are great DIY projects that allow you to learn about history and make something fun in the process.
Finally, you can join efforts to permanently change Columbus Day to Indiginous Peoples’ Day.
If your local or state government hasn’t already passed a resolution to change the day, then contact local politicians to discuss the matter. Also, voice your opinion throughout the year and support any causes you see online that push for changing the language around this holiday and the Native American community in general.
Native Americans provided our country with so much and sacrificed a lot along the way. Therefore, we should all make plans to celebrate their culture and our own heritage today by celebrating Indiginous Peoples’ Day.
What ways do you plan to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Share with us in the comments!
Feature Image by Gabriela Custódio da Silva from Pexels
