Search for celebrations hosted by nearby universities, museums, and cultural centers. The National Museum of the American Indian (https://americanindian. si. edu/) hosts annual webinars to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
This site has curriculum guides for educators, too. Learn more at https://americanindian. si. edu/nk360.
Follow the non-profit @illuminative on social media for content created by Native peoples. Use “#IndigenousPeoplesDay" to spread awareness.
European settlers started to enslave Native peoples from the first day they arrived. [5] X Research source Columbus and his men treated Native peoples with brutality and violence. Native peoples lost 95% of their population in the 130 years after first contact with Europeans. [6] X Research source While Native peoples’ have often been erased from history, they don’t exist in the past. They are very much present, active, and important in your communities today. [7] X Research source
Here’s a sample land acknowledgment you can adapt, once you’ve learned how the local tribes would like to be addressed: “We gratefully acknowledge the Native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native communities who make their home here today. ” Visit https://native-land. ca/ to type in your location and learn about the tribes with ancestral roots on the land you occupy. If you’d like to post a sign in your home, community center, or classroom to acknowledge native land, check out https://usdac. us/nativeland Land acknowledgment isn’t a one-time thing. You can pay respect to Indigenous peoples by practicing land acknowledgment before any public proceeding you host.
American Indian College Fund: https://collegefund. org/ American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES): https://www. aises. org/partners Association on American Indian Affairs: https://www. indian-affairs. org/ Center for Native American Youth: https://www. cnay. org/action-hub/contribute/ First Nations Development Institute: https://www. firstnations. org/ways-to-give/ Native American Rights Fund: https://www. narf. org/
Visit http://nativebusiness. directory/ for a directory of Native-owned businesses. Be careful not to appropriate Native peoples’ culture by purchasing and wearing traditional Native apparel or crafts if you’re a non-Native person.
Refer to individuals as “citizens” of tribes, not “members. ” Other acceptable terms include: Native American, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN), Native peoples, and Indigenous peoples. Terminology changes and evolves over time. If you use a term incorrectly, be open to correction, and pay attention to the terms Native peoples use to describe themselves.
“Changing the second Monday in October to Indigenous Peoples’ Day lets us recognize the impact European settlement had on Indigenous peoples while letting us celebrate Indigenous resilience and survival. ” “By making this change, we try to honor Indigenous communities and take a small, yet important step towards reconciliation. ” “Cities, towns, and states all over the US have already begun celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. ”
These mascots are offensive because they portray inaccurate and disrespectful images of Indigenous cultures and traditions. [19] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source
Share the UNDRIP with 10 people to spread awareness for Native peoples rights. [22] X Research source
Check out some of these authors and poets: N. Scott Momaday, Sherman Alexie, Louise Erdrich, Leslie Marmon Silko, Janet Campbell Hale, Barney Bush, Charles Eastman, Qwo-Li Driskill, Joy Harjo, and Layli Long Soldier. [24] X Research source Search for the free film Ȟesápa on Youtube to learn about the Indigenous LANDBACK movement. [25] X Research source
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a day to spread awareness and celebrate Native peoples, but remember that true ally-ship is a lifelong commitment. Being an ally is about educating yourself, examining your privilege, and putting the voices of marginalized groups before your own. [27] X Research source