Native American Day is celebrated annually on every fourth Friday of September in the United States which means that it falls on 23rd September this year.
This is a day which is celebrated as a way of honoring the Native Americans and their culture, traditions and language as they are believed to be the first residents of America way before the nation of USA was formed.
However, the history of the Native Americans is written with blood and violence. After centuries of persecution, not much is left of the tribes and many have integrated into modern society. But there are still many who have remained to their roots and still celebrates their ancient traditions and culture.
| Event | Native American Day |
|---|---|
| Date | September 23, 2022 |
| Day | Friday |
| Significance | The day honors Native Americans and their culture |
| Observed by | United States |
Native American Day History:
As the name sugggests, Native American Day honors and celebrates Native American who are believed to be the first Americans that lived in the United States. Not just that infact Native Americans was present everywhere in the North American continent before the first explorers and settlers from Europe colonized their lands.
Native American which are popularly referred as American Indians today are regarded as the original settlers in the Americas as they were living in these lands from centuries. But this all changed when Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas and discovered the new world which was earlier unknown to the rest of the world, and this led to conquest of the Americas by the European colonizers.
And you can easily guess what happened next as we saw the brutal occupation and forced settlements by the European colonizers especially by the British in North America and Spanish in South America. For doing that they fought many battles with various Native American kingdoms and tribes and this led to a huge genocide of the Native Americans by European colonizers. Many Native Americans were also killed because they were exposed to various diseases which they couldn't handle.
Even after the independence of the United States nothing changed much for the Native Americans as they were continued to be heavily persecuted and their lands were largely robbed by the settlers. So the atrocities on Native Americans continued for a long time as they were largely discriminated by people, law and state as well.
However as turn of the modern century the situation has largely improved in 1924 the Indian Citizenship Act was passed which granted US citizenship to all Native Americans. Later many other laws were passed to give Native Americans equal rights as other Americans.
Native American Day Significance:
The day is celebrated in America by people learning about the different kinds of tribes and cultures of the Native Americans. They also read about the genocides of the indigenous peoples and how they persisted despite the adversities. In short it is created to make Americans realize that what Native Americans have gone through so be respectful to them.
The observance of Native American Day focuses on the history, heritage, and culture of Native American tribes across the country. This day is all about celebrating the irreplaceable heritage, contributions, and knowledge of the Native American populations and these all must be preserved so that everyone gets to enjoy the rich culture and heritage of the Native Americans.
It is also a day to remember the enduring legacy of their fortitude, energy, and strength. Native American Day is about appreciating the long history of culture and traditions that Native Americans have preserved through the centuries. It also admires them for their resilience and strength through which they have managed to survive and keep their traditions alive even after so many persecution attempts.
At last this day also works as an awareness campaign as still Native American community is considered as one of the most backward community in the United States as they still faces large amount of discrimination and isolation from the American society. So this day encourages other Americans to help all the Native Americans in assimilating with the society.
Native American Day Celebrations:
You can honor Native American tribee and their cultures by learning more about the tribes of your local area. Be respectful of their traditions and take the time to learn the history of Native Americans. And after learning don't forget to pass on your information to others as well so that awareness can be created regarding it.
Most museums in America have a rich collection of Native American artifacts. So in order to celebrate this Native American Day and honor the culture of Native Americans do try to visit any nearby museum to take a look at Native American arts and culture throughout history and see for yourself that how admiring they are!
Events, parades, and seminars are always a part of Native American Day celebrations, and that's why there is a high chance that some event regarding it is happening near you so try to attend that event to find out more about Native American life and traditions.
Most Searched FAQs on Native American Day:
1. When is Native American Day is celebrated?
Native American Day is annually celebrated on every fourth Friday of September in US.
2. What states have Native American Day?
While it is not celebrated in all 50 states, it is recognized in both California and South Dakota. The day is gaining popularity in the rest of the country.
3. Which is the largest Native American tribe in US?
Cherokee is considered as largest Native American tribe in US.