Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates the culture and contributions of Native Americans on the second Monday in October.
In the Americas, Latin is a mix of Indigenous + European + African. Regardless of the cultural mask we live in, this is who we really are.
Some points of view distinguish between “Indians” of the United States and Indigenous Peoples in other parts of the Americas. In reality we are a continuum of peoples from the Canadian Arctic in the north to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.
We are originally from Siberia in Asia. In South America, some of us probably also have an Oceanic heritage.
In North America we too were greatly influenced by the Spanish because they brought horses. Ironically the horse led to a flowering of our culture just before we were stripped of our lands. Being people of the land, this hurt our souls.
Even so, we remain Proud Americans. The First Americans!
Indigenous Peoples Day 2018
Indigenous Peoples Day 2018 is Monday, October 8.
The Indigenous Peoples Celebration of the Redhawk Native American Arts Council is on Harlem River Field at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, Manhattan on Sunday – Monday, October 8 – 9, 2018.
This year we honor water protectors.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Performances, vendors, music, song and dances from 11 am – 5 pm.
Monday, October 8, 2018
Sunrise ceremony at 7 am. Music, song, dance, spoken word, art and talks until 4 pm. Bring lawnchairs.
Bring your great spirit!
Indigenous Peoples Day 2017
On Sunday and Monday, October 8 – 9, 2017, the Redhawk Native American Arts Council celebrates Indigenous People’s Day with a Pow Wow gathering at Harlem River Field in Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York City.
Admission is Free. Donations are appreciated.
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Performances, vendors, music, song and dance. Sunday overnight camp out; tents and tipis welcome (pre-registration required).
11am – 5pm
Monday, October 9, 2017
Music, song, dance, spoken word, artists & guest speakers. Free event. All visitors welcome. Bring lawnchairs.
Sunrise Ceremony: 7am
7am – 4pm
People of the Land
Studying the Indigenous people of Colombia, completely changed my perspective on our Indigenous heritage.
A U.S. American cultural education teaches that Indigenous people are primitive. It’s not true. We are or were very advanced, in some ways more advanced than the industrial western civilization that took over the planet.
We are different, but not primitive. Naming us less than human is just a step in the process of dehumanization which provides cover for brutality and theft.
Your own body is only about half you. The rest is creatures who live within us in a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship. An easily understood example is the jungle of living things in our colon that enables us to digest food. If you kill the cells that are not directly you, you too will die.
Indigenous People developed a similar symbiotic relationship with the land. It’s almost as if we grew out of the land like corn. Killing the people eventually kills the land.
Industrial civilization poisons the earth and has started a process of pollution and climate change which is going to create tremendous upheaval for all humanity. We have yet to face the true cost of what we have started.
It is long past time for us to honor our Indigenous Heritage and protect and preserve the ways of the people of the land. It’s ironic that after climate change runs its course, Indigenous ways may be the very salvation of humanity.
For more information, visit redhawkcouncil.org
