Honoring Indigenous Peoples' Day
Today, instead of my normal Monday-review post, I want to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Did you know that the idea for a day was first proposed in 1977 at a United Nations Conference? Fast forward to 1989 and South Dakota became the first state to honor the day as Indigenous Peoples Day. Fast forward to today and President Biden became the first president to formally recognize the day.
So today, we honor the resilience and beauty and heritage - here in the US and globally. For COVID, we have seen a devastating impact on indigenous communities. We have also seen the resounding collective solidarity and resilience in these communities. (Image source: Getty images and from the linked PBS story in the previous sentence.)
I want to end with honoring our neighbors today on Indigenous Peoples’ Day with the below quote.
The “language you hear throughout Indian country is ‘be a good relative…Do this for the grandmas, do this for the ceremony, do this for the language, because our people are precious.....” - Kerry Hawk Lessard (director of the Native American LifeLines).
Do you hear the themes of love-your-neighbor? Collective solidarity? Community good? Today, we honor you, your communities, your families, your Elders, your heritage.
Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
-FNE