Indigenous Peoples Day kicked off their seventh-annual celebration in New York City with two days of free programming at Randall’s Island Park from Oct. 10 to Oct. 11.
The controversy surrounding Columbus Day came to a head over the past year as many called for an end to the holiday and the removal of many of the statues celebrating the infamous explorer. So, as floats rode Uptown watched by hundreds of spectators on Monday afternoon in celebration of Italian heritage, Randall’s Island held a very different festival.
Organized by Indigenous Peoples Day (IPD) NYC and several other groups, this culturally rich commemoration honored the role in Indigenous people have had in shaping the county with 24-hours of activities, inviting native leaders, Elders, medicine people, cultural performers and more from across North America, including Polynesian Islands, Caribbean, and other areas.
