How Can I Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day?
If you want to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day happening on Monday, October 10th but are not sure how; here are a few suggestions.
Attend A Virtual/In-Person Event
Every year there’s more and more happening around the celebration of Indigenous People’s Day, both in-person and virtually.
First and foremost, check with the Indigenous communities in your area to see what ceremonies and/or events they’ll be hosting. Libraries and museums across the country will also be holding special educational seminars, some remotely if you don’t have the means to attend one in person.
The Smithsonian has arranged a virtual panel of young Indigenous leaders and how they are using their platform to introduce more Indigenous voices and inclusive conversations in their classrooms. There is no charge for this event but you will have to register.
Youth in Action Panel: https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/student-programs/distance-learning#indigenous-peoples-day
Educate Yourself & Loved Ones
The easiest thing you could honestly do is sit down, either by yourself or make it an event with close friends & family, and watch a movie that highlights Indigenous people in a positive light.
Don’t know what’s movies to watch? No worries, Vision Maker Media has compiled a list for you to look through! You can find most of these selections through streaming services or by renting them from your local library.
If movies aren’t your thing, grab one of the countless pieces of Indigenous literature available. There’s more out there than just historical non-fiction. There are tales like Firekeeper’s Daughter or The Only Good Indians that will keep you entertained while also giving you perspective of the culture in modern times.
Indigenous Movie List: https://www.shopvisionmaker.org//dept.asp?dept_id=23427&s=visionmaker
Capitalize the “I” in Indigenous
It might sound arbitrary but this small act can have the greatest impact.
By consciously doing small things like making sure the “I” in Indigenous is capitalized when referring to someone’s culture, or unlearning inaccurate depictions, you’re actively unraveling decades of misinformation.
Support Indigenous Businesses
There are a great number of Indigenous owned businesses, myself included, that would love and appreciate your support. Buying from us takes money from faceless companies who profit from appropriation and puts it directly into our pockets to help support local economies.
Instead of shopping from multibillion-dollar companies on Monday, look up an Indigenous owned business and buy an item from them. I promise that the ten dollar set of earrings you buy will help in more ways than you will ever realize.
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