Indigenous Peoples Day brought many together to spread awareness on the holiday

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) — Indigenous Peoples Day is a holiday recognized in both North Dakota and Minnesota. And for many natives, this day is a day to raise awareness of who they are.

“We really want people to know that we’re still here. If you’re not indigenous yourself, I bet you know someone who is indigenous, or you’re close to a reservation. You’re not removed from indigenous people in our community, we are everywhere. We’re teachers, we’re doctors, we’re nurses, we’re all parts of this community,” said Brandon Baity, Executive Director of the Indigenous Association in Fargo.

Heather Keeler, a Minnesota State Representative and a school liaison, stated that for five years her students said they wanted to celebrate the holiday. So she, along with another Indian education liaison, worked together to bring Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognized in the city of Moorhead. And in 2019, the day was officially recognized.

“The thing I learned is, in my time and in my journey, not to just take no for the answer…but it was really, really important for the kids in Indian Ed for this. And he told me, he told me what I’d have to do to celebrate it in the schools. He said it would have to be either a city-recognized or state-recognized holiday. Well, he gave me the path, and we’re here today because we followed the path,” said Heather Keeler, Minn. State Representative (D)

Between North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota, the three states have 25 recognized tribes out of the 574 across the country. North Dakota recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day this year. Minnesota recognized the holiday in 2023.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day should be something that everybody celebrates, it’s not just for native people to celebrate, it’s an entire holiday for all of us in the community. And so, I think it’s important for every single person to spend a little bit of time knowing who was on this land, who’s still here, and what we hope to do in the future. I think higher ed can do a better job in highlighting the indigenous mindframe, and the indigenous way of life,” said Keeler.

For more information on the Indigenous Association and their events, visit here.