Indigenous Persons day

Grampa Don

Grampa Don

Yep, that's me
Location
Orange county, Calif.
I can see renaming Columbus day. Columbus was a real scum ball. But, Indigenous Persons day doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. It sounds clumsy. How about calling it Discovery day? Isn't that what we are really commemorating? Rather than honor anyone, it could be a day to stop and reflect on our history, good and bad.
 

It seems a bit disingenuous to me.

1.RicardoCatePainting-900x646.png
 
While i agree 'Indigenous People's Day' doesn't roll of the tongue, 'Discovery' day not quite accurate--it was at very least an intrusion if not an slow but just as destructive invasion.

Over the years some Indigenous People's have argued that they are not really 'Native' because their ancestors came across the land bridge according to scientists. Others had oral histories that said their people were here long before that influx, i believe usually put at around 10,000 yrs ago. And now they've been validated by this find:

 

Gaer said:
I don't know why I'm on this planet! I'm on the wrong world! Let me outta here!
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No. You're in the right world. You're here to share your beautiful artwork and your beautiful soul. Sorry, but you're stuck right here with the rest of us yokels!
 
feywon said:
While i agree 'Indigenous People's Day' doesn't roll of the tongue, 'Discovery' day not quite accurate--it was at very least an intrusion if not an slow but just as destructive invasion.
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I agree with what you are saying. My thought was that it was the event when Europeans discovered that the American continent existed. I don't think it should be a celebration with parades, but a commemoration could be appropriate.

And, I kind of agree with Alligatorob, maybe it's not worth having. Most people don't get the day off anyway.
 
Alligatorob said:
Why do we need a holiday at all? Already have Labor Day, Veteran's Day, and Thanksgiving in this season, maybe that's enough.
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I agree, we need to spread the holidays out more evenly. We got MLK day but it is close to winter holidays. Now we've added June 19th but that is close to July 4th. I would like a holiday in March, my employer doesn't give us Presidents Day off, so there is a long period from mid-January until end-of-May with no company paid holidays.
It would also be nice if employers actually gave us holidays off. We didn't get June 19th and we don't get Columbus/Indigenous Peoples day off either.
 
Grampa Don said:
I can see renaming Columbus day. Columbus was a real scum ball. But, Indigenous Persons day doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. It sounds clumsy. How about calling it Discovery day? Isn't that what we are really commemorating? Rather than honor anyone, it could be a day to stop and reflect on our history, good and bad.
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I wonder what Native Americans would want it to be called. What do they call themselves?
 
I like Columbus Day so it's still Columbus for me. 🤗 And for the gazillions of Italian Americans who emigrated here over a hundred years ago. They're having issues with this and with all the world has to worry about right now this is an important as #1999 out of a scale of 100.
 
I feel honoured when I'm mistaken for being indigenous (being called "sister"). It happens fairly often to me. I don't look particularly Japanese in facial features. My father was often taken for indigenous too.
 
chic said:
I like Columbus Day so it's still Columbus for me. 🤗 And for the gazillions of Italian Americans who emigrated here over a hundred years ago. They're having issues with this and with all the world has to worry about right now this is an important as #1999 out of a scale of 100.
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I can understand that. For Italian Americans it's a day to celebrate someone famous who was born Italian. It's kind of like their St. Patrick's day. But maybe we should re-name it for someone more deserving, like Galileo or Michelangelo.
 
Grampa Don said:
I seem to remember reading someplace that most of them in the US refer to themselves as Indians.
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Author Tony Hillerman who's mystery novels feature Reservation police officers, tidbits of tribal cultures and customs once told a true story of asking some Navajo elders that he served on a Museum Board in NM or AZ with what they preferred to be called.

This was back in late 70's when the shift to saying Native American was happening. One elder responded that "Some of the younger folks might feel.different but most of us are ok with Indians, we're just glad Columbus wasn't looking for Turkey."
 
Something is wrong here. We are getting short supplied in some things. There is a shortage of labour in my country because people prefer free government money so they can drive around all day and shop. Do we need yet another holiday for whatever reason? I would definitely say NO!
 
@Packerjohn -- I don't know about Canada, but here in the US it's up to the employer which days are paid holidays. For most people that includes Christmas, New Years, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Government employees, postal workers and schools get more.

Every day is a holiday for people who aren't working. That would include me.
 
Grampa Don said:
I seem to remember reading someplace that most of them in the US refer to themselves as Indians.
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The Choctaw around here do. For library grad school, I had an assignment on library services for Indians and learned through that research that it's the preferred term.
 
feywon said:
While i agree 'Indigenous People's Day' doesn't roll of the tongue, 'Discovery' day not quite accurate--it was at very least an intrusion if not an slow but just as destructive invasion.

Over the years some Indigenous People's have argued that they are not really 'Native' because their ancestors came across the land bridge according to scientists. Others had oral histories that said their people were here long before that influx, i believe usually put at around 10,000 yrs ago. And now they've been validated by this find:

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Fascinating video, @feywon.

A Blackfeet man, Darrel 'Dusty' Crawford has DNA that predates the land bridge. His DNA indicates that his ancestors were in the Americas 17,000 years ago and were from the Pacific Islands.
 
The most famous American Indian leader was Geronimo of the Apache Indians. We should rename the day as Geronimo Day. Columbus never discovered America anyway. He discovered the island of Hispaniola and proceeded to exterminate 3 million of the indigenous people living there. America has never been an Italian nation or even an Italian colony. Thus, Columbus is not even connected to most Americans in any way at all. Assigning the name to a mass murderer makes no sense at all.

Leif Ericson is the person who did discover America. Maybe we should rename the day Leif Ericson Day.
 
When I was in High School I remember a history teacher that told of the wicked ways that Christopher Columbus treated other people. I have never celebrated Columbus Day or know of any of my family members who have.
 

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