In the United States, 21 states now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, or a holiday of a similar name, on the second Monday of October, as an official holiday or via proclamation. In 2021, Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, however he did not replace Columbus Day.
It's time to recognize that celebrating the life of Christopher Columbus also celebrates the erasure of Indigenous existence. While there is a growing movement around the country to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, more work remains to be done.
Jônatas Robson Simões Moreira (Terena), 26, is from Aldeia Lagoinha, Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. He is a public school teacher with a degree in performing arts and dance from the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in dance and education. He is an artist, a choreographer, and an activist for Indigenous causes. Nati Garcia (Maya Mam), Cultural Survival Capacity Building Manager, recently spoke with Robson.
By Nati Garcia (Maya Mam, CS Staff) and Jonathan Gonzalez Quiel (Ngäbe)
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
