Educational Opportunities of Indigenous Studies

By Mohammad Barry

We should acknowledge Indigenous perspectives on holidays like Columbus Day and Thanksgiving by using them as days revolving around education of various topics of Indigenous studies. It is vital to our current culture to acknowledge and respect Indigenous perspectives. On holidays like Columbus Day and Thanksgiving it is even more imperative that we pay respects to these perspectives. These holidays should be used as educational opportunities of Indigenous studies.

Stereotypes of these holidays often perpetuate racism and harmful lies. Learning the real history behind these holidays will allow for the true Indigenous culture to be honored. Indigenous people showed generosity to Europeans and was met with genocide. On these holidays it is imperative that we acknowledge this. We celebrate these holidays without understanding what really took place and actually acknowledging what truly happened. Teaching younger generations the true history of Columbus Day and Thanksgiving will allow for them to grow up with a newfound feeling towards indigenous people. They will grow up knowing that these holidays are days meant for learning and teaching others about these cultures. They will be able to understand the true importance of these holidays and will be able to pass this knowledge down to future generations. For many years, Indigenous people were silenced and their stories were marginalized. On top of this many tribes were stripped of their lands and forced to relocate. This is the reason why it is important to learn the true histories and celebrate indigenous perspectives. Celebrating these holidays without Indigenous perspective is inconsiderate and cruel. These days should be made to honor Indigenous people and their cultures.

While learning history is important, it is not the only thing to be done. Listening to Indigenous voices today about their concerns and opinions is an important way to honor the culture. It will show how the wrongdoings of the past have impacted those of the future. Newer generations have a better understanding of things like oppression and racism and they will be able to put these complex feelings and/or thoughts together to explain to peers how their culture should be honored and remembered. As a people, it is our duty to help support the indigenous community. We should be doing a multitude of things such as supporting their businesses, listening to their concerns, acknowledging the proper history and so much more.

Research to support my claims can be found in an article titled “Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving” published by the National Museum of the American Indian. In this article it states that “Native perspectives are especially important to include when teaching the history of the "First Thanksgiving". Giving thanks is a longstanding and central tradition among most Native groups that is still practiced today. The First Thanksgiving is often portrayed as a friendly harvest festival where Pilgrims and generic, nameless "Indians" came together to eat and give thanks. In reality, the assembly of the Wampanoag Peoples and the English settlers in 1621 had much more to do with political alliances, diplomacy, and a pursuit of peace.” This excerpt alone shows the lack of knowledge from today's society about the Origins of this nationally beloved holiday where the concept of it is misconstrued into something friendly when in reality that was not the case. This Education would be relevant to Alfred State students, and students all over the world because It would help to bridge the gap between current day Indigenous peoples, and people who occupy indigenous land without even knowing how or why that came to be and how Indigenous people lost almost 99% of their land to the United States Unwillingly.

WORK CITED

Native knowledge 360°-rethinking Thanksgiving celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving. Home Page. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/informational/rethinking-thanksgiving

Wade, L. (n.d.). Native tribes have lost 99% of their land in the United States. Science. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.science.org/content/article/native-tribes-have-lost-99-their-land-united-states