​Indigenous Peoples Day to be recognized by city officials


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Members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe lead the veterans during the start of the Tribal Powwow on Saturday, July 26, 2014 in Mount Pleasant, MICH.

Following the lead of several other municipalities in the country, Mount Pleasant is joining a trend that began in the 1990s in Berkeley, Calif. to move away from the traditional celebration of Columbus Day on the second Monday in October. 

The celebration of explorer Christopher Columbus was said to be offensive, as genocide against Native Americans was perpetuated during his stay in the Americas.

The Mount Pleasant City Commission will declare Monday as "Indigenous People's Day" during their meeting in City Hall.

“We’re not looking to replace (Columbus Day), we’re looking to recognize,” said Mayor Sharon Tilmann.

Tilmann said the city has been working with members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe to form a proclamation since April.

“The proclamation is also going to honor the 150 year anniversary of the treaty that created the Tribe,” Tilmann said. “Here and there, there have been different activities that recognized the treaty and the friendship between the Tribe and the city, and 150 years certainly should be recognized.”

In September, Tribal Council passed Resolution 14-152 officially recognizing Indigenous People’s Day on the second Monday of October and urged "the City of Mount Pleasant to officially recognize it as well."

While cities like Mount Pleasant are free to recognize Monday as Indigenous People's Day, Columbus Day will continue to be recognized as a national holiday by the federal government.

“We don’t have the power to do away with a national holiday,” Tilmann said. “But we want to continue finding ways to collaborate and coordinate and move forward.”

City Manager Nancy Ridley said several members of the Tribe, including Chief Steven Pego, will be attending Monday’s meeting. She said a blessing ceremony will take place at around 6:45 p.m. before the meeting is called to order at 7 p.m.

Ridley said the first item of the agenda is the proclamation readying by Tilmann before it is officially presented to the Tribe.

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