Indigenous People’s Day 2024
There’s no school today, October 14th, as the teachers have a work day and the district is celebrating Indigenous People’s Day. As I’ve talked with various folks over the weekend, several people have stumbled over calling it by it’s new name, laughing a little about changing Columbus Day’s name. On our own city government pages, there’s pushback:
Last year, Focus on the Family published an article called, “Don’t Feel Guilty About Celebrating Christopher Columbus – a Man on a Mission for God.” If you can stomach it, you can read the advice to “don’t just laud him for his discovery and bravery – but also for his commitment and conviction for telling the world about Jesus Christ.”
I’m aware that the audience of this blog aren’t the ones that need to be convinced that moving away from Columbus is a good idea. However, it was good for me to remember that these violent and misleading ideas still are very much alive, even among other brothers and sisters in the church.
I’d rather spend my pixels here sharing some good and beautiful ways to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day today. I know I am weary and sad and almost out of outrage for the state of the world, so I hope these can be easily accessible and provide an on-ramp for engaging.
Recital and Evensong for the Commemoration of Indigenous People’s Day is the longest of the options I’m sharing, but I hope you check out either the video or the written program that can be found here. The service which took place yesterday at St. David’s in Baltimore is an episcopalian service featuring Indigenous musicians and “liturgy [that] has been created by piecing together a number of resources, mostly from churches in Canada, as well as the First Nations Version, an Indigenous-led translation of the New Testament.”
I was especially moved by the chant of Psalm 23 translated by the West Michigan Conference and put to music by Orlando Gibbons:
The Great Father above a | Shepherd | Chief is.
*I am His and | with Him | I want | not.
He throws out to | me a | rope *and the | name of the | rope is | love†
and He draws me to where the | grass is | green
*and the water is not dangerous, and I eat and | lie down | and am | satisfied.
Sometimes my heart is very weak and | falls | down *
but He lifts me up again and draws me into a good road. |His | name is | Wonderful.
Sometime, it may be very soon, it may be a long long time, He will draw me | into a | valley.*
It is dark there, but | I'll be | afraid | not,
†for it is between those mountains that the | Shepherd Chief will| meet me
*and the hunger that I have in my heart all through | life | will be | satisfied.
Sometimes he makes the love rope into a whip, but afterwards He gives a | staff to | lean upon.
*He spreads a table before me | with all | kinds of |foods.
He put His hand upon my head and all the | "tired" is | gone.
*My cup he | fills till | it runs | over. What I tell is true. I lie not. These roads that are "away ahead" | will stay | with me
*through | this life | and | after;
and afterwards I will go to live in the | Big | Lodge
*and sit down with the | Shepherd | Chief for | ever.
Glory be to Creator, to| Son and| Brother *and |to In-|Dwelling| Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now, and|ever|shall be,world|without|end. A|men.
One of the best ways we can support Indigenous writers are to buy their books! Kaitlin Curtice is one of the voices I follow to learn about the intersection of Christian spirituality and Native culture. Her book Winter’s Gifts is gorgeous and came out just a year ago. You can listen to the storytime here and order the book in time for the holidays here. For adults, Native and Living Resistance two of her other works. We have Native in the IMC church library!
Choose one of these links to explore!
For kids and teens: “What is Indigenous People’s Day?: How to Celebrate with Kids and Teens”
For adults: “I am Indigenous and an Anabaptist” is a first person account by Sarah Augustine, who is a Pueblo (Tewa) descendant, is a co- founder and executive director of the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition.
My hope today is that we will say the name of the holiday with a little less laughter and a little more respect. I hope we listen to Native brothers and sisters who are somehow committed to the church despite it’s historical harms. I hope we find the image of God more fully in Indigenous people by learning, listening, and amplifying those who have been maligned and are still here.
