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U.S. NEWSMonday 12 October 2015
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More cities are recognizing Native Americans on Columbus Day
change between America American Day in 1990, and
it has been an official state
and Europe, commemo- holiday ever since. Berke-
ley, California, has ob-
rates an iconic explorer served Indigenous Peoples
Day since 1992.
and honors Italian-Ameri- Parades and festivals that
developed around Co-
cans, a group that has en- lumbus Day have faced
protests that are known for
dured its own share of dis- being confrontational, es-
pecially in Denver. Anna
crimination. Vann, a longtime member
of the Sons of Italy’s Denver
“For the Native community Lodge, recalls protests dur-
ing the 1992 parade, which
here, Indigenous Peoples marked the 500th anniver-
sary of Columbus’ voyage,
Day means a lot. We actu- as the most unnerving and
pivotal.
ally have something,” said That year, protesters
blocked the parade route
Nick Estes of Albuquerque, for several hours, she said.
After that, the parade
who is coordinating a cel- wasn’t held again until
2000, and it has been diffi-
ebration on Monday after cult to make it the draw it
once was, she said.
the City Council recently “It’s been a struggle to
even get people to come
issued a proclamation. and attend the parades as
spectators,” Vann said. “It’s
“We understand it’s just a a celebration of when the
Europeans came over and
proclamation, but at the started their lives here. We
wouldn’t be where we are
same time, we also under- today if it weren’t for this
history.”
stand this is the beginning The renewed push for In-
digenous Peoples Day car-
of something greater.” ries the sentiment of past
decades’ protests against
Native Americans make up Columbus, but it has proven
less confrontational, with
about 2 percent of the U.S. advocates instead finding
traction at City Hall.q
A flyer on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque calls for students to population. In recent de-
join a protest against Columbus Day. Monday, Oct. 12, 2015, marks the annual Columbus Day
nationwide, but in a twist that signals a growing trend, it will also be Indigenous Peoples Day in at cades, a significant num-
least nine U.S. cities this year.
ber of tribal members have
(AP Photo/Russell Contreras)
moved from reservations to
urban areas, where a large
MARY HUDETZ including Albuquerque, Christopher Columbus — majority live today.
Associated Press New Mexico; Portland, Or- and the parades and pag-
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mex- egon; St. Paul, Minnesota; eantry accompanying it The shift makes the cities’
ico (AP) — More U.S. cit- and Olympia, Washington — overlook a painful history
ies are recognizing Native state. of colonialism, enslave- resolutions and proclama-
Americans on Columbus Encouraged by city coun- ment, discrimination and
Day this year as they revive cil votes in Minneapolis and land grabs that followed tions more meaningful, Es-
a movement to change Seattle last year, Native the Italian explorer’s 1492
the name of the holiday to American activists made arrival in the Americas. The tes said.
celebrate the history and a push in dozens of cities in indigenous holiday takes
contributions of indigenous recent months to get local into account the history Congress set aside the sec-
cultures around the coun- leaders to officially recog- and contributions of Na-
try. nize the second Monday tive Americans for a more ond Monday of October as
As the U.S. observes Colum- of October as Indigenous accurate historical record,
bus Day on Monday, it will Peoples Day. Their success activists have argued. a federal holiday honoring
also be Indigenous Peoples was mixed. Columbus Day supporters
Day in at least nine cities The campaigns say the say the holiday celebrates Columbus in 1934. Over the
for the first time this year, federal holiday honoring centuries of cultural ex-
years, Native Americans
have slowly begun winning
more recognition around
the day.
South Dakota, where Na-
tive Americans represent
about 8.5 percent of the
population, renamed
Columbus Day to Native
