The second Monday of October is officially

Indigenous Peoples Day

Upcoming Events

When the Land Speaks: An Untold History and Living Presence of the Indigenous of Massachusetts; and the Importance of Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day

Date: October 9, 2022

Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Location: Zoom

Larry+Mann

We are excited to invite you to register for an upcoming virtual event on Sunday, October 9th at 6:00 PM EST. The Committee for Indigenous Peoples Day Wellesley, WOW is honored to welcome back Native American Cultural Educator, Larry Spotted Crow Mann of the Nipmuc Nation.

Larry Spotted Crow Mann is a founder, and Co-Director, of the Ohketeau Cultural Center and the Native Youth Empowerment Foundation. He is also the first Native American to sing the opening honor song and land acknowledgment at the 2021 Boston Marathon. He is a recipient of the 2021 Indigenous Peoples Award of the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP and has traveled throughout the United States, Canada and Europe sharing the music, culture and history of Nipmuc people.

Please join us as this award winning speaker details the untold history and continued presence of Indigenous Peoples in what is presently called Massachusetts. In advance of this year’s Indigenous Peoples Day on October 10th, the speaker will also detail why Indigenous Peoples Day should be a national day of remembrance, education and celebration.

This virtual event will be held on Sunday, October 9th beginning at 6:00 PM EST. Registration is required so please register in advance to join us! After you’ve registered Zoom event details will be sent to your email.

Key Messages for Indigenous Peoples Day

Indigenous people have been calling for Indigenous Peoples Day for decades. Formally recognized by the UN Geneva Conference Declaration of 1977, Indigenous Peoples Day is already celebrated in lieu of Columbus Day in 14 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 cities, including 14 communities in Massachusetts.
Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day begins to remedy the harmful effects of racist U.S. policies and distorted histories that normalize genocide, removal, erasure and negative stereotypes of Indigenous Peoples while glorifying colonization, westward expansion, and white supremacy.
We cannot celebrate both Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day. Columbus brought a culture of domination, exploitation, violence, and greed that resulted in genocide, oppression, and destruction of Indigenous cultures and ecosystems. Celebrating Columbus is an affront to Indigenous people and to all people who abhor what he represents.
Changing to Indigenous Peoples Day is not anti-Italian; it is an antiracist stand against the genocidal legacy of Columbus. Many Italian Americans stand in solidarity with Indigenous people and support this change.
Indigenous Peoples Day acknowledges the ongoing presence of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island–this land we now call North America–as well as Indigenous communities around the world.
In this time of existential ecological crisis, Indigenous people provide much needed wisdom on how we can live sustainably in balanced relation with each other and the land. Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates and centers Indigenous voices, sciences, cultures, and ways of life.

The second Monday of October is officially

Indigenous Peoples Day

Upcoming Events

When the Land Speaks: An Untold History and Living Presence of the Indigenous of Massachusetts; and the Importance of Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day

Key Messages for Indigenous Peoples Day

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