by Rev. Gregory Douglass
Native American United Methodist Church of SoCal
Chair, Cal-Pac Committee On Native American Ministries
The roots of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is believed to go back to the 1977 International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas; Geneva, Switzerland. From a growing awareness of Indigenous populations, from rally calls like “We Are Still Here!” and a growing awareness of a difficult history, many questions began to arise. Among these were questions connected to Columbus Day and its establishment through lobbying by The Knights of Columbus. Through the years, many states and municipalities moved away from an observance of Columbus Day, while some questioned the observance, realizing Columbus never actually set foot on what we now call the United States; his 1492 landing was on what is now the Bahamas. In 1494 a colony was established on what is now the Dominican Republic. In the long term, the impact on Indigenous populations was devastating.
This history led to thoughts of an Indigenous Peoples’ Day, coupled with the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007. One such time was during the 1992 Quincentenial Jubilee in San Francisco where replicas of Columbus’ ships were to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge. This helped raise questions about Columbus’s discovery of lands, of peoples who had existed in North America from time immemorial. While the United States has not declared Indigenous Peoples’ Day an official holiday, many states and municipalities have made the second Monday in October such an observance.
This year, Anaheim, formerly the Tongva Village of Hutuukgna, observed its 5th Annual Celebration. This process began some 7 + years previous with meetings often held at Native American United Methodist Church and included several members and the pastor. Mr. David Garcia and Mr. Shannon Rivers came to these gatherings and helped bring the UN Resolution to the Anaheim Culture and Heritage Commission. Through support and resistance, a presentation was eventually made to the Anaheim City Council, and Member Stephen Faessel sponsored a move to establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the city. Though not an official holiday, the city has recognized the day and made Proclamation(s) recognizing the importance of the day, leading to a government-to-government relationship between the City of Anaheim and the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation.
Each year on the second Monday of October, Anaheim now supports a Walk/ Run, which in the first two years began at Native American UMC, going to Anaheim City Hall, and now starts at the Anaheim Coves, on the Santa Ana River, going to City Hall and concluding with a community meal at the Downtown Community Center; space provided by the City, food provided by Gabrielino Tongva Nation, Native American United Methodist Church, individuals, with support from St. George’s Episcopal Church, Laguna. The walk/run is a prayer walk/run where it is considered that each step is a prayer while honoring ancestors who have gone on before us and caring for and considering the generations to come.
