Slowly but surely, Columbus Day is dying. And it’s Native American youth who are leading the liberation movement that seeks to abolish it. Across the United States, Indigenous-led movements are increasingly calling for the end of a day that honors a genocidal European man who made the false claim of “discovering” the Americas, inaugurated centuries of state-sponsored colonial violence against Indigenous and African descendants, as well as the capitalist theft of Native land.
However, this Oct.12 that’s changing.
Native American activists, along with other victims of colonialism and their allies, have pushed resolutions in a number of U.S. cities to replace the day that commemorates, “the Father of Slavery and Genocide,” as he is dubbed by some activists, with the “Indigenous People’s Day.”
RELATED: Politicizing Columbus Day
Victories have been made in a number of U.S. cities so far, including Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Olympia, Washington.
This “Columbus Day,” Minneapolis protesters and activists are going a step further and demanding the removal of Columbus statue at the Minnesota State Capitol.
But as more and more in the U.S. acknowledge the bloody history behind Columbus day and the absurdity of celebrating it, Native American activists are also challenging the settler-colonial ideology that helps perpetuate the celebration of genocide, Indigenous displacement and land theft, and racism.
teleSUR English looks at some of 2015’s most egregious cases of how Columbus’ legacy still rears its head in the U.S.
1. September 2015 – Juniper Serra christened as a “Catholic saint” by even Latin America’s most progressive pope.
Pope Francis, one of Latin America’s most beloved popes, came to Washington, D.C., to give sainthood to the controversial Catholic Friar Junipero Serra, seen as controversial figure by Indigenous people as complicit in the cultural and physical genocide of Native communities.
“Junipero sought to protect Indigenous dignity,” Francis said in his canonization of Friar Junipero.
But Norma Flores, an activist against the canonization of Junipero, told media that this act is a celebration of genocide because 90 percent of those he evangelized died in horrible conditions. “This is why we do not believe that this person deserves a spot in heaven together with other saints,” she said.
RELATED: The Pope's Blind Spot on the US's Genocidal Past
According to U.S. census records, the population of Native Californians dropped from approximately 310,000 when the missionaries first arrived to 20,000 at the start of the 20th Century.
Scholar Calley Hart attributes the sharp decline in population to discouraging traditional medicinal practices, unsanitary living conditions, the lack of medical care, along with radical changes in diet and location.
Native American groups argue that Serra, like many Franciscan missionaries at the time, forced Native populations to work for Spanish settlements and were gradually stripped of their culture and religion.
2. July 2015 – Dressing up in Red Face and Portraying Native-Americans as Savage Attackers is “Fun” for Kids
Yes, the 2nd annual James Ray “Indian Attack” 5k as part of “Pioneer Days” was an actual event.
The blog Native Appropriations regularly highlights the disturbing phenomenon encouraging non-Native children to dress up in stereotypical representations of Native Americans, reflecting the complaints of Native-Americans around racist mascots and costumes. Earlier this summer it reported that a small county in Kentucky decided to ramp up the racism and take it to a new level by sponsoring an “Indian Attack” event during a marathon event celebrating General James Ray, who attacked Native-Americans.
“What’s the concept of the ‘Indian Attack’ 5k,’ you ask? Well it’s simple. White people dress up in redface, and chase other white people, who escape (while dodging water balloons and other projectiles) into a ‘fort’ at the finish line. THIS IS ACTUALLY A THING,” writes Adrienne K. The event was held in 2014 as well, though outcry this year put an end to any references to the “Indians.”
“I just want to break this down for you.” Adrienne continues. “A town in Kentucky, which I’m guessing is not a completely Native town, signally how they were physically killed and/or relocated (i.e. CHASED) out of that land, holds a ‘pioneer days’ festival to ‘celebrate’ that history, complete with a 5k named after a guy who’s job it was to kill Indians … and decided that the best way to ‘honor’ that history was to have white people dress up as the worst Indian stereotypes and chase runners into a fort. And not one single person thought that was a bad idea. In fact, it was so great they did it again!”
The event sadly socializes children into believing at a young age that Native Americans are costumes to be worn for merriment and possible threats to settler culture.
3. June 2015 – Native-Americans are still struggling to protect their lands from U.S. government land grabs.
Earlier this year, Native American activists with the Apache Stronghold group protested in front of the U.S. Capitol against a proposed copper mine worth US$6 billion that would be operative on lands they consider sacred in Arizona.
Times Square today @ProtectOakFlat #saveoakflat #protectoakflat #apachestronghold pic.twitter.com/K5Ik2yikLA
— charlotte (@charlotteshuleh)
July 17, 2015
The Apache Stronghold group organized a caravan from their home state all the way to Washington, D.C., in order to draw attention to their cause, demanding the government reverse a bill allowing the seizure of their land, known as Oka Flat, in favor of mining operations.
Wendsler Nosie, the council chairman leading the group, told The Guardian Friday that Oak Flat is “a central part of our religion, our ceremonies, our upbringing for our children.” He added that it signified the same religious value to his people as Mount Sinai is to the people of the bible and yet authorities dismiss their claims as less important.
“It’s like Mount Sinai. Tell the people who believe the Bible that,” he said. “What would they say? It’s no different. Why do we treat it different?”
4. June 2015 – Mapuche in Chile are arrested after speaking out against 40 dam projects on their ancestral land.
Chile’s Mapuche are among the most ardent opponents of settler-colonialism and its ideologies.
In an ongoing struggle against corporate visions of Manifest Destiny, Indigenous activists in the country are fearlessly facing off with multinationals seeking to appropriate land, demanding the complete withdrawal of hydroelectric companies from their sacred territory.
#12deOctubreNadaqueCelebrar Marcha del Pueblo Mapuche avanza por Alameda pic.twitter.com/u2hDec1WPW
— Aguanta Chile® (@MegafonoPopular)
October 12, 2015
In June, three Indigenous leaders in the town of Curacautin were charged Tuesday for participating in the protests against the hydroelectric project “Doña Alicia” and the smaller plant “Pintoresco” that never received any environmental or social evaluation.
Government Minister Maximo Pacheco argued that the new dams will significantly improve electricity access in the region and reduce electricity rates. However, Indigenous leaders demand the complete withdrawal of hydroelectric companies from their lands. The Network for the Defense of the Territories called his announcements a “true slap in the face of human rights and interests of the region's inhabitants ... on the grounds of an immoral collusion.”
Opponents to the project have claimed that the area was being “sacrificed” for economic interests at the expense of community-led development, and the preservation of environmental and Indigenous sacred spaces crucial for the whole region.
This is our land, Indigenous Mapuche land!!! // Mapuches #Mapuche #Chile pic.twitter.com/1LE5J2HXyy
— Mapuche Indigenous (@mapucheNL)
August 29, 2015
Mega-dam projects have devastating social and environmental impacts, forcibly displacing communities and contaminating lands and rivers, critics say. Moreover, they produce one of the least efficient and dirtiest energy forms as they release high amounts of methane – the greenhouse gas second most responsible for climate change.
For many Indigenous activists, abolishing Columbus Day is only the beginning, as Indigenous movements and their allies across the Americas challenge the settler-colonial ideology that has influenced state and corporate entitlement towards Native American culture and land for hundreds of years.
