Indigenous People’s Day

When I taught third grade after college, I had a really difficult time teaching the significance of Columbus Day. I was a product of Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” and some pretty strong multicultural studies instructors at UW-Madison. Teaching a one-sided view of history - even to eight-year-olds - was not something that was going to happen in my classroom.

I applaud President Biden’s declaration that today is now celebrated as a national holiday in conjunction with Columbus Day. Acknowledgment of the past from different points of view - especially from the non-dominant POV - leads to education, leads to understanding, leads to empathy. And couldn’t we all use a little more of each of those things right now?

At my work, we have begun each session with students with a land acknowledgment. It’s our way of recognizing that we are immigrants here and that the people who walked the Earth before us had a history here long before any of our ancestors arrived. Our statements is as follows:

Student Version

The land we are on is the homeland of the Potowatomi Nation. We as a school community will continue to learn, respect, and understand the gifts of the American Indian Nations of Wisconsin. 

Adult Version

The School District of Waukesha Environmental Education acknowledges and honors the inherent sovereignty of each of the American Indian Nations of Wisconsin. The land we are on is the ancestral homeland of the Potowatomi people and nation. The School District of Waukesha Environmental Education will continue to cultivate and maintain our ongoing respect and understanding of the Potowatomi and each of the American Indian nations, people, and communities of Wisconsin. 

Interested in learning who may have walked the land where you live? Check out this interactive map by Native Land to learn more.