Monday has been declared Indigenous Peoples’ Day by President Robert Henry.
The OCU community will come together to celebrate Native American culture and its contributions to the larger society. The celebration will include a Native American honor song as well as speeches from Native American faculty and students. Henry will also speak at the event. The celebration will begin 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Chickasaw Warrior Garden located outside of the Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.
The Native American Student Association sent a letter to Henry asking him to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day on campus. They also circulated a petition around campus to change the holiday. Maryann Guoladdle, history junior and vice president and co-powwow coordinator of the Native American Student Association said that the petition was meet with a lot of support from students.
“A lot of Indigenous people feel like it’s really hard to get through [Columbus Day] because of what had happened in the past,” said Guoladdle. “[Columbus] and his men raped, murdered and stole from a lot of the Indigenous peoples.”
Guoladdle said that she and many Native Americans hope Indigenous Peoples’ Day will become a national holiday.
“We don’t have a holiday or anything to celebrate what the Indigenous peoples have brought to America for the culture that they have lost, Guoladdle said.
Henry said he was more than happy to declare Monday Indigenous Peoples’ day.
“If you go to Wilson House and look at the art on the wall and also in my library you can tell I’ve been fascinated with the wisdom and culture of our first nations, of our Native Americans,” Henry said. “The contributions of indigenous peoples are just astonishing.”
In addition to speaking at the event Henry plans to celebrate by wearing a ribbon shirt given to him by a Native American friend. Henry also said he plans to reread Native American writing.
“I think it would be nice for people to talk to some of their Indian friends, to engage in some discussions and thinking about Indian culture and Indian ways of knowing,” Henry said.
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