Here’s a bit of Detroit news I missed last week: Detroit now observes Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday of October, instead of Columbus Day, which is still a federal holiday.
Last Monday was the first observance. I wish I had known about it beforehand, I’d have some photos from the celebration. Christine Ferretti reports for the Detroit News:
The city on Monday marked its first Indigenous Peoples' Day with music and prayer on the day traditionally celebrated as Columbus Day.
An event recognizing the new city holiday was held at Spirit Plaza on Woodward near Jefferson just west of City Hall. It is the result of a resolution passed by Detroit's City Council last fall to honor indigenous leaders on the second Monday of October. Columbus Day is a federal holiday that's not been observed as a paid day off for city workers.
Councilwoman Raquel Castañeda-López spearheaded the effort in partnership with a coalition of Detroit's indigenous leaders.
The day was commemorated with a Peace and Dignity ceremony to celebrate Detroit's historical importance as a bridge to other indigenous communities in Canada, officials said.
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The centerpiece of Monday's festivities was a nearly two-hour ceremony celebrating the survival of indigenous people in the Americas and urging "peace and dignity" for all people of the four directions as represented on the medicine wheel used by Native American tribes for health and healing.
The ceremony featured drumming, dancing and singing and concluded with tobacco prayer ties being added to a birch tree in the Spirit Plaza in the four colors: red, yellow, black and white, to represent the four directions of mankind, organizers said.
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Detroit's resolution also called for the ultimate removal of the Christopher Columbus bust at Jefferson and Randolph in downtown Detroit in favor of a monument that would pay tribute to an indigenous figure. But that plan was scrapped after officials said it was unclear whether the city had the authority to do so.
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Castañeda-López said officials hope to form a coalition to identify funding and a location for a statue commemorating Indigenous Peoples' Day. Removal of the Columbus statue, she added, is something the city could still consider.
"Really, it's not about Columbus at all," she said. "It's about how to we raise the voices and share the stories of people who have been marginalized and forgotten and oppressed for so many generations."
The observance is still not a holiday for city workers. The Detroit Public Library was open last Monday (though the Main Library is closed on Mondays regardless), and I’m told Detroit Public Schools had a full day of classes (I vaguely remember half days when I was a student).
Bank and credit union branches in the city still observe Columbus Day as a federal holiday, like for example the branches of Michigan First Credit Union in Detroit (though the “365 Live” call center was open).