Oct. 9, 2017, marked Columbus Day, but another celebration was in motion, and it is known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Assistant Professor, at UW Eau Claire, Heather Moody presented a keynote on Indigenous Peoples’ Day to educate students and community members about the importance of the history and culture of the Indigenous people.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day Keynote ‘Who’s Day Is It?’” was presented by Moody in the Hall of Nations. Starting off with a Kahoot game, Moody tested the audience’s knowledge about Christopher Columbus and his adventures across the ocean blue. Using the results of the game, Moody explained how the education system does not tell its students about what really happened when Columbus sailed across the ocean and how those false ideologies have shaped our society today.

On the White House website (https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/10/06/president-donald-j-trump-proclaims-october-9-2017-columbus-day) there is a proclamation from President Donald Trump who proclaimed Oct. 9, 2017, to be observed as Columbus Day. He states in his proclamation: “Five hundred and twenty-five years ago, Christopher Columbus completed an ambitious and daring voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.” According to Moody, Columbus never set foot on North America and had actually landed on multiple islands in the Caribbean throughout his multiple trips across the Atlantic.

So, what is Indigenous Peoples’ Day? “Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a day that Indigenous people unfairly lost lives,” UWL Junior Marian Haile says. “It isn’t synonymous to sales or holiday. It is a day of awareness, education, and remembrance.”

UWL Senior Macy Ramos also commented saying, “Indigenous Peoples’ Day isn’t about me, my thoughts/feelings/etc., and I think that’s why it is so important. It’s about acknowledging the people we (“we” representing a white dominant society) have tried to silence.”

Whether you know about Columbus’s true story or not, it’s important to stop, listen, and participate in the story that truly unfolded hundreds of years ago. “All teach-ins and presentations that take place on our campus are very intentionally chosen,” Ramos comments. “I think a big part of social justice, or rather just being an educated human, is taking advantage of these opportunities to learn as much as we can, ESPECIALLY when we feel that the opinions being discussed are different from our own.”

When looking at Columbus Day, another way to view it is the celebration of a human who murdered and enslaved Native Americans and other Indigenous Peoples. “I think the best example from the presentation that Dr. Moody brought up was how we don’t name days after the people who did the killing, stealing, and other wrongs,” Ramos replies.

“You can learn so much about a group of people who have been here before everyone else,” Haile states. So, take a moment to understand and learn about the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and consider looking into the true history of Christopher Columbus. There is more beyond your own opinion and it is waiting to be discovered by you. Learn as much and as often as you can, you never know what you may find. As Haile says, “Education is humbling and powerful.”