The banks will be closed on Oct. 13 because in 1934 President Roosevelt declared the second Monday in October a federal holiday called Columbus Day, a day to remember the “discovery” of America by Christopher Columbus in1492.
The holiday, however, never caught on, partly perhaps because most Americans understood that the Italian explorer was not even close to being the first non-native to set foot on the Americas. According to the EMS website, “The day is no longer as widely celebrated. In fact, out of the federal holidays in the United States, Columbus Day remains the least observed.”
More importantly, there is a Progressive movement these days. “There are a number of states that no longer observe Columbus Day. Recognizing the horrors that Columbus brought upon indigenous people, these states have chosen to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day or Native Americans Day instead.”
An accurate reading of our country’s history.
Although I had heard of the following native leaders, I didn’t know much about them Now, after reading summaries of their character and achievements, I’m in favor of giving them a more prominent place in our country’s national narrative:
Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa Lakota), Crazy Horse (Oglala Lakota), Chief Joseph (Nez Percé), Tecumseh (Shawnee), Geronimo (Chiricahua Apache), Wilma Mankiller (Cherokee Nation), Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), Winona LaDuke (Ojibwe), Russell Means (Oglala Sioux)
Thinking about changing the name of Columbus Day got me thinking, “What is the purpose of holidays — national, state, local or religious?” And so I turned to the source of all knowledge: AI.
Key Purposes of National Holidays
Fostering National Identity and Unity: National holidays help create a shared sense of history and belonging, strengthening the social bond among citizens and promoting a collective national identity.
Commemorating Significant Events: They mark important historical events like Independence Day or Juneteenth, allowing the nation to remember and learn from its past.
Honoring Important Individuals: National holidays are also established to recognize and celebrate the contributions of significant figures, such as presidents or civil rights leaders.
Promoting Cultural and Social Values: Holidays often highlight core values of a nation, such as freedom, equality, or the contributions of its workforce (e.g., Labor Day).
Encouraging Reflection and Remembrance: Days off from work or school provide a moment for citizens to pause, reflect on the nation’s journey, and remember sacrifices made.
Reinforcing National Narrative: Using public holidays to communicate and reinforce a specific national narrative, which legitimizes the nation and its values.
In essence, national holidays are more than just days off; they are designed to be unifying, reflective, and celebratory moments that connect the people to their nation’s history, culture, and shared identity.
Groups, like individuals, need identities that include a common narrative, which tells us where we came from, the forces that molded us, the values that guide us, and following a vision of the future that propels us forward.
Following are extended quotes from the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer:
After all these generations since Columbus some of the wisest of Native elders still puzzle over the people who came to our shores. They look at the toll on the land and say, “The problem with these new people is that they don’t have both feet on the shore. One is still on the boat. They don’t seem to know whether they are staying or not.”
This same observation is heard from contemporary scholars who see in the social pathologies and relentless materialistic culture the fruit of homelessness, a rootless past. The urgent work of the Second Man may be to set aside the ways of the colonist and become Indigenous in place.
The original Instructions understood that all knowledge he needed to live was present in the land. His role was not to control or change the world as a human but to learn from the world how to be human. Nanabozho received the lesson that Mother Earth is our wisest teacher.
I try to turn off my science mind and name [plants and animals and people] with a Nanabozho mind. I’ve noticed that once some folks attach a scientific label to a being, they stop exploring who it is.
When we seek to understand a group’s soul, we must listen not only to their stories, but to the way they interact with the land, their rituals, and their symbols. By engaging with these deeper layers of meaning, we gain insight into their hopes, struggles, and aspirations, allowing us to build more authentic connections and foster mutual respect.
I think Kimmer perhaps unintentionally makes a good case for all of us becoming more familiar with the indigenous narrative and weaving it into our personal and national stories just as some of us have with Juneteenth.
