Growing up, we celebrated Columbus Day each year in school by learning about Christopher Columbus' "discovery of the New World."
Now, though, we know this whole concept is a myth. Columbus did not really "discover" North America, as millions of people had already inhabited the continent for centuries.
It's also now widely recognized that Columbus brought slavery, extreme violence, and disease to Native Americans. In fact, as this History.com article details, within 60 years of Columbus landing on a Bahamian island in the Caribbean, the population of the native Taino tribe dropped from as many as 250,000 to several hundred.
That recognition of the harm brought on by Columbus is why 130 states and cities across America now recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day rather than Columbus Day.
Instead of celebrating Columbus, this new holiday is aimed at celebrating and appreciating the experiences and culture of indigenous people, like the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation who call the land that makes up the Berkshires their ancestral home.
Here are some local events going on in the Berkshires this weekend in celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day:
Indigenous Peoples' Day Walk on Main Street: Join us in honoring Indigenous Peoples' Day with a community walk in Great Barrington, MA, to foster unity and create new connections. Sunday, October 12th, 9-12p.m. Giggle Park 334 main street Great Barrington, MA 01230
Other ways you can celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day with your family:
1. Find out about the Native American land where you live
Land acknowledgment is a way to pay tribute to the original peoples of the land that you are on. This is more common in Canada than in the United States. Don't know what Native American tribes called your area home? You can find out on this map. Take a walk on the land and think about who walked here before you. Click here for Berkshire County hikes, located on Mohican land.
You and your family can research to find out more about that tribe and its history once you have found out whose land you are on. Check out Mohican.com for more information about the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation. Currently, both the Berkshire Museum and the Mission House in Stockbridge have exhibits highlighting the Mohican Nation.
The Alliance for a Viable Future is also holding an event today, click HERE for more details.
2. Watch a movie
Here is a list of educational movies that help celebrate the Native Americans. These are presented in an authentic way that celebrates their accomplishments.
For younger children, a relatively new series called “Molly of Denali” was created by Alaska natives and is one of the first child-centered shows to feature a Native American lead. You can also find kid-friendly games on the PBS website centered around this show.
There is also a fascinating PBS miniseries called "Native America," that reaches back 15,000 years to reveal massive cities aligned to the stars, unique systems of science and spirituality, and 100 million people connected by social networks spanning two continents. See a preview here:
3. Lobby for change
Does your city or state still mark the second Monday in October as Columbus Day rather than Indigenous Peoples' Day? The Zinn Education Project has an "Abolish Columbus Day" packet that includes resources and sample resolutions for school boards, universities, cities, and states. You and your kids can also write your local and state elected officials about the issue.
4. Read a book
This blog post by Rebekah Gienapp includes a great list of 20 children’s books about Native Americans and First Nations Canadians. These books are written by people who share the same identities as the indigenous peoples the books are about. As our American history with Columbus Day shows, too often history is written by the victor. These stories allow a different voice to be heard.
5. Take a hike
One way we can actively connect and honor this land and its original inhabitants is to make an effort to learn its true history and take a walk to reflect on this history with mindful intention. Berkshire Family Hikes has highlighted six hikes that were once routes initially traveled by those who created the paths for travel, trade, and spiritual connection long before European settlement. Pick one and walk in the footsteps of this land’s earliest inhabitants, surrounded by history. While you hike, think about how the trail came to be, or who may have walked these paths before you.
Part of this article was written by MacKid Publisher Helen Partlow. Helen Partlow holds a Bachelor of Arts in History as well as a Juris Doctorate. She is a Macaroni Kid publisher on Long Island, New York, publishing Macaroni Kid Port Jefferson and Macaroni Kid Mt. Sinai.
