Absolutely.

We support an organization called "Adopt A Native Elder", helping to provide for the needs of an elderly Navajo couple in Arizona. We have formed a friendship with the family, and received a letter from them coinciding with Indigenous Peoples' Day. It was penned by their daughter, as the elderly couple does not speak or write English. I thought I would share its contents here, as it really touched me:

"My parents are so apologetic about not being able to write back sooner. It's been a while since family members have visited so they could write you back on their behalf.

Well ... it's good to hear you both are doing well and healthy. Cases have picked back up around here so it's too dangerous for us all to do anything.

My mother had been so worried that no one was able to write to you for her. She wants me to let you know that she hasn't forgotten about you and that you're in her prayers.

The had their Adopt-A-Native-Elder event [a recurring food distribution] and it just wasn't the same as before. But she thanks you for your help and everything else.

Their big relief is that the local windmill has been repaired and all the animals can now drink water. [The family has a small farm.]

Today, my mother's rushing me to finish this letter so she can start looking for some lost lambs. There are coyotes in the area and she wants to get out the door ASAP.

But she stresses that you both take care of one another and stay in touch. She says not to worry if, in the future, you don't hear from her in a while. It's only because she doesn't have anyone to write for her.

You're always in our hearts and minds. God bless the both of you. For now, we need to get hiking up the mountains for the lambs.

Until we hear from you again,

Your dear friends in Arizona"

These are people who live in a very traditional way, with very limited physical resources. That they are concerned about us and our worries, in the midst of this pandemic that is decimating their elderly population, is something that truly moves me. I consider knowing people such as these beautiful Navajos on a personal level to be a tremendous privilege, and I'm thrilled to support the ANE organization and the very fine work that they do.

Indigenous people remain "forgotten" in so many ways, but I am heartened to know that they are recognized and honored today. Now, may it become more so with policies and programs that provide them with the lives they so richly deserve.

Absolutely. Thanks for your thoughtful post.

I didn't know that and I should as my great grandmother was a Micmac Indian.

Oh Ida, what a lovely letter. Thank you for sharing.

Then there's the Comanche, Blackfeet of Montana, Apache. There are two sides to every coin and many Native tribes lived in fear of other tribes. Christopher Columbus was an explorer interested in trade routes. He came, he loved the native people..his men and those that came after not so much. It's helpful when making a point to have ALL the facts. No one person or society is perfect. Flaws are a part of the human condition.

I always thought that Columbus Day was a crock!

This article shows how much Columbus loved the indigenous people - as servants or slaves.

I never heard a word here in North Carolina about this, so I don't know how much celebrating is done. I will have to research what NC actually does. We usually receive emails at work (state agency) about the various special days but got nothing about this.

I'm surprised California wasn't on the Indigenous People's day list. Certainly it is widely referred to as such here, including the school district. Though San Francisco still has its Columbus Day Parade (not this year), which remains a big cultural holiday for San Francisco's still substantial Italian-American population.

I've never gotten Columbus Day off as an adult, so I don't really take it very seriously as a holiday.

It’s not a day I’ve given much thought to either way but after reading the thread and Ida’s amazing letter I’m so glad that Michigan was on that list.

Ida, I’ve never heard of a program like that but I’m sure the rewards and joy from participating far out weight the monetary part. I sure wish I could afford to do something like that myself. Honestly after knowing you on this forum for as long as I have, it doesn’t surprise me at all that you’ve embraced that wonderful program. It’s always heartwarming to see, but right now, in this particular time and place, it was extra special, thank you for sharing.

Even my husband who was an immigrant and not 100% familiar with our countries history knew how horribly the indigenous people have been treated and in so many ways still are to this day.

Thank you for such kind words, Lukki. I appreciate them more than you can possibly know. It's true that the ANE program is very dear to my heart, and I wish I could do more. As it is, our monetary donations are not sizable, but I know every last dime is appreciated by the program and the tremendous needs it serves. I've posted here before about the program and all the good that they do, so won't go into that again. Suffice it to say that it would - and should - horrify us all to really know the conditions in which so many of our indigenous brothers and sisters live, particularly the elderly. It is so often a hard, hard life.

Leo and Polly are my "second set" of elders. In the 90s I helped support Wilfred and Martha, and had the wonderful privilege of visiting them in their traditional hogan home on Navajo tribal lands one lovely autumn day. Their adult daughter was there, and together she and I fed their newborn lambs, and then we spent an afternoon as Wilfred regaled us with story after story. Martha spoke no English, but she was still a delightful hostess. We took them to dinner that evening at the restaurant of a local Holiday Inn, and you'd think we had given them the moon and stars. Such wonderful, gracious, interesting human beings. Sadly, Wilfred and Martha have passed on, but I will never forget them.

When I was still teaching, we had a small community of Native Americans in classes. One Columbus day one of the Native American girls (high school) wore her Native American dress that she wears to celebrations and dances. Everyone was so interested and complimentary, as she answered questions in the halls, and explained what certain parts of her costume meant. She was an excellent representation of her tribe.

If I may be so bold ... The dress you describe (which I am sure was gorgeous), as well as other traditional articles of clothing worn by Native Americans, particularly in the area of dance (the powwow circuit, for example) and other celebratory events, are called regalia -- not costumes. It's a small thing, but use of the appropriate terminology is important in attributing the proper respect to these things that many hold quite sacred.

Regalia vs. Costume

:-)

I'd hardly blame Columbus for ALL the ways native people were hurt during the period of European exploration, conquest and subjugation. He was one guy and not even the first, as was incorrectly glossed over at school when we studied it in elementary school. I was in fact taught a fairy tale which wasn't a very good idea because it was all about Columbus being the person who "Discovered" America and he didn't even come close to the US, and all about how he "proved" that you wouldn't fall off the ends of the earth if you sailed west to try and get east, that the world was not flat. Educated people always knew the world was round using math to figure that out. They did not know how large it was, and people either didn't know or refused to believe the science back in that day just as much as today. Columbus Day coming just ahead of Thanksgiving, I also got the incorrect idea that the "Pilgrims" followed him soon after . . . based on the way we studied history in elementary school, which was basically mythical stories and craft projects. I got over that misconception but I'm a stickler for details . . .

A simplified story about Columbus discovering America and proving the world wasn't flat and then a craft activity making a model of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria plus maybe a fictionalized storybook account didn't scar me for life, I learned the more accurate version in jr. high and high school. I think there was room for improvement and besides, why celebrate that one explorer or historical scenario . . . I was told that it was instituted by the Knights of Columbus to give Italian immigrants a positive spin. Nothing wrong with that, but why not then have "Immigration Day" and celebrate our diverse ethnic heritage. Also maybe "Italian American" day for those of Italian descent. Or would others get jealous? I come from a Dutch area and there are local celebrations of Dutch heritage, never really felt the need for a national holiday. And I'm fine with my Jewish side not having their holiday considered the "normal" one. Lot of energy expended and for little benefit.

I would however, like to see people stop playing "Indian" during Thanksgiving and having white people go on and on about how the Indians used to live. It's sad. I participated in such educational programs, and although we went out of our way to be culturally appropriate . . . there was something weird about it. Maybe I have had my Jewish culture "explained" to me too many times by well-meaning fundamentalist Christians . . . it ends up being a tad hollow.