For many years, Oct. 12 has been known to many as Columbus Day in celebration of Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas. However, today, many people are fighting back against celebrating Columbus Day and are instead celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. On the afternoon of Oct. 14, the Native Space Living and Learning Village and Multicultural Student Affairs held a panel of speakers who talked about their experiences as Native Americans as well as the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The event began with members of the panel speaking about their life experiences as Native Americans. Euna Victoria Chavis, panelist and graduate student in the College of Education, spoke about some of her undergraduate experiences.
“I am very much so a Tar Heel, but I will proudly say I hated my undergraduate experience there because of the ignorance I experienced,” Chavis said. “My first weekend there as a student, I saw people going to a cowboys and Indians-themed party, and I was like, ‘What are y’all doing? I’m standing right here, and I definitely don’t look like that Pocahontas costume you got on there.’”
After the panel discussion was over, Justin Richardson, assistant director of undergraduate admissions and another member of the panel, talked about how non-indigenous people could help support the Native tribes and peoples.
“To help celebrate indigenous people, honestly I think it’s just the continual support and just coming out to events or support other causes on campus,” Richardson said. “We understand one person can’t do it all by themselves. It takes a community overall, and whether that community is within a Native community or even outside, help. It’s always greatly appreciated and shows that people do understand our cause, in any shape or form.”
Stephy Lee, a panelist and second-year studying fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, spoke on how more people could help spread awareness and help indigenous people.
“Definitely coming out to this panel is a first step to that and making sure to come out to all the other Native American Heritage Month events in November,” Lee said. “The powwow is a really big thing in April, and they do that every year at NC State. It’s really nice to see other people outside of the Native American community come out, because they are able to get some exposure to what Native Americans celebrate and what we do and what it’s like to be a part of a powwow; the breaking down of those walls of stigmas and stereotypes and such.”
On Nov. 23, the North Carolina Museum of History will host its 24th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration. Richardson said Multicultural Student Affairs will put on several events around this time in addition to its annual powwow in the spring.
“If you look on the Multicultural Student Affairs calendar, there will be a big list of all the events we’ll do on campus,” Richardson said. “Our powwow is in April, the first Saturday of the month usually. It’ll actually be right downstairs in Stafford Commons. There will be a lot of our heritage, singing and dancing and the like.”
NC State students listen to speakers talk about the importance of celebrating Native American People in place of Columbus Day at Talley Student Union 3285 on October 14, 2019 for Indigenous Peoples Day. Multicultural Student Affairs and Native Space Living and Learning Village held a panel exploring the various experiences and perspectives of Native Americans with different backgrounds.
