When we first moved here, I thought that was really odd, but now I think they have a good point. To the Native American, Columbus may not be so great. He brought disease, slavery, bloodshed and ultimately an end of a way of life.
We celebrate great men in America throughout the year - President Washington, President Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr... I think it is great that in South Dakota we also honor Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull.
You can sign a petition to make Native American Day a National holiday, if you want to.
You can also read more about Native Americans
here. I especially enjoyed reading the Trickster Tales.
6 comments:
I think Native American Day is a good idea - or a month, like February is Black History month. Maybe they already have one. A national holiday - hey, I'm always up for one more of those. ;)
It's too bad about Columbus, you know? I can see the Native Americans' point, totally. But I can't help thinking that his visit to the New World was one thing that helped the gospel be restored to the earth. So for whatever reason he came, he was unknowingly doing a good thing. Of course that's not very well understood outside our little circle, but it gets me out of the "he was evil" mode.
I have always thought the same thing about Native American Day in South Dakota. I agree with what you said. A lot was lost. I like millie's point too. It was meant to be.
Maybe more people would undersatand the devestating affect Columbus had on the Native people if some dictator would take over the U.S and turn everything communist.
This guy turned the Natives world around .He turned them into slaves and made every man , woman , and child over 12 dig for gold (which they didn't consider valuable)and be his slaves.
Mormon Millie doesn't think Columbus is evil because if it wern't for him we wouldn't be living here.Yes , this is true, and what a great place to live it is.But our living here has caused much suffering to the people that where here first.Is it worth it? I guess so if you don't live on a reservation full of polluted,alkaline filled water.No heat or light.
I think it's great they celebrate Native American day. It should be a national holiday. I would love to see the celebrations like the ones you showed in your pictures.
I really don't think Columbus was a bad person, and I don't think it is fair to blame him for all of the bad things that went on here in the centuries following his "discovery" of the New World. It did make it possible for all us folks to be here today. But it really is conflicting thinking about the history of our country, knowing how devastating the arrival of Europeans to this continent was for the Native Americans. Makes me think of the book about Wounded Knee. So, so terribly sad.
I'm all for it! It is a travesty what happened to the entire Indian World.
For shame.
That is really cool! Our household has always rankled a bit at Columbus day. He made a mistake which led to the death of thousands. While it had some good results, it also had horrible results for many. While it was necessary for me to be here, and for this Gospel, I'm not sure that it should be celebrated in such a white-centric manner. I'm thinking not only of the Native Americans, here, but all the black slaves that suffered for the cause of overfarming the land.
Post a Comment