4 ways to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Iowa
Iowa is one of many U.S. states that’s replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and there are many ways to recognize the holiday in 2024.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is honored on the second Monday of October every year, and this year, that puts it neatly on October 14. The holiday, which is also known as First Peoples’ Day and Native American Day, is recognized on the same day as Columbus Day, the U.S. federal day that’s historically celebrated Christopher Columbus’ supposed discovery of the New World. As we know, though, he didn’t discover anything—he landed on a continent that already housed countless Indigenous tribes, and the arrival of Europeans ultimately resulted in the forced movement and, worse, genocide of Indigenous peoples.
This is precisely why many people don’t acknowledge Columbus Day, opting instead to recognize and uplift Indigenous people, voices, and cultures on this day. In fact, the movement has gained so much traction that more than two handfuls of U.S. states have officially recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day in lieu of Columbus Day, including our very own Iowa. According to CNN, this move for Iowa came in 2018, when Governor Kim Reynolds officially changed the holiday’s name statewide. Other states following this path include California, Wisconsin, Nevada, and more, plus Washington, D.C.
Are you ready to join the movement and support Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2024? If so, here are the best ways to recognize the holiday on and around October 14.
Attend a local Indigenous Peoples’ Day event
Getting out into your community is one of the best ways to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day. You can connect with local business owners, artists, and more, which can create long-lasting relationships that will allow you to support this community more in the future, too. While only a couple of public events have been publicly detailed so far at the time of writing, checking for events in your area once the holiday is closer would be wise. In the meantime, here are two events you won’t want to miss:
1. Indigenous Iowans Day (Urbandale)
Also known as the Ioway people, the Iowa are a Native American tribe native to the region now known as the state of Iowa, and on Saturday, October 12, you can attend an event called Indigenous Iowans Day and hosted by Living History Farms from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to recognize them. The event promises to include presentations, crafts, and more, which will all help educate people on and immerse them in the region’s Native cultures. The event’s website also notes that every activity at Indigenous Iowans Day is covered by the general admission fee of $19.
2. Evening of Music and Poetry (Iowa City)
Looking to hit the Iowa City streets on October 14? If so, you should head to this event helmed by the Indigenous Art alliance, featuring performances from two singers and a few writers, including poets. The event will be held at 26 East Market St. from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and you may just find your next favorite local musician or writer. After all, supporting folks around you is one of the best ways to be active in your community and uplift people whose voices have historically not been heard.
Donate to relevant organizations and causes
Putting funds directly into marginalized people’s hands or into those of organizations that aid them is always one of the best ways to recognize diverse voices and communities. After all, there’s a large pay disparity between Indigenous individuals and non-Indigenous folks nationwide, making mutual aid crucial. Thankfully, there are several organizations you can donate to in Iowa to support Indigenous Peoples’ Day:
1. University of Iowa’s Native American Student Association
The Native American Student Association at the University of Iowa is composed of Indigenous students who are working to make their voices heard on campus in hopes of creating a safe space for them to flourish, both socially and academically. The students host events throughout the school year, including for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, with their most notable one being an annual powwow held each spring. All are welcome at the powwows, allowing non-Indigenous students to learn more about Indigenous culture and recognize their peers more fully. Donations made to the Native American Student Association could help further these events and goals.
2. Meskwaki Annual Powwow Committee
Not close to the University of Iowa in Iowa City? No problem. As its name suggests, the Meskwaki Annual Powwow Committee also puts on a yearly event, and it’s a big affair each and every August in Tama. Like with the University of Iowa students, attending a powwow is one of the best ways to learn about Native cultures, and you can even donate funds to help the committee continue practicing and sharing their culture. And if you’re unsure what to wear or do at a powwow, don’t worry—the committee has an etiquette guide on its website.
3. The Native Center for Behavioral Health
Also located at the University of Iowa, the Native Center for Behavioral Health aims to “[develop] programs to support the behavioral health workforce in Native American and Alaska Native communities” nationwide, according to its website. Indigenous students and communities alike benefit from this, and the center further notes that the current projects it’s managing include one aimed at aiding the mental health of Native folks in specific parts of the state. Indigenous communities often have fewer financial resources and access to critical medical care, including mental healthcare, so donating to this center could help close the gap in this arena.
4. Great Plains Action Society
Previously named Indigenous Iowa, the Great Plains Action Society works to “address the trauma that Indigenous Peoples and the Earth face” due to colonization and capitalism, as its website explains. And it’s walked the walk—the society participated in the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protest movement (also known as NoDAPL) by creating awareness of the issue and, more specifically, “bridging the gap between Indigenous communities and rural landowners,” according to its website. This nonprofit continues to grow and spread its positive messages, and any donations made can help it continue to fight the good fight.
Educate yourself at Indigenous museums
If you can’t make it to a specific event in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, you can always visit an Indigenous museum when your schedule allows. These museums are typically operated by Indigenous people, so not only do your entrance fees help support an Indigenous-run business but you also know that what you’re seeing is authentic. Here are a few to check out in Iowa:
1. Meskwaki Cultural Center & Museum
The Meskwaki Cultural Center & Museum is located in Tama, and it’s open from Monday to Friday every week. Here, visitors are exposed to various items and art from Meskwaki culture, with the museum’s website noting that some have long been preserved while others were returned to the area after being taken away from Meskwaki land. The museum also holds workshops and hosts speakers, offering even more opportunities for people to learn.
2. Indian Artifact Museum
Located in Keosauqua, the Indian Artifact Museum is situated in a wood cabin and sees visitors being guided throughout the space to be exposed to Indigenous history in the form of carefully curated and archived items and art. In fact, tours at the Indian Artifact Museum are free, meaning there’s no reason not to visit. Just note that this museum is only open for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday each week, so you’ll need to plan your trip accordingly.
3. Native American and Natural History Museum
Eldora’s Native American and Natural History Museum can be found in the Calkins Nature Center and emphasizes the connection between humans and nature, a fact that’s historically been incredibly important for Indigenous cultures. As its name implies, part of the museum specifically focuses on Iowa’s ecological development and history—including its fire ecology, native wildlife, its various ecosystems, and more—while another part focuses on the human portion of the state’s past, including stone tools, beaded artifacts, and artifacts made of bones, among other Indigenous items. This museum is perfect for folks who desire a full picture of Iowa over the years.
4. Carnegie Historical Museum
The Carnegie Historical Museum can be found in the building that formerly housed Fairfield’s Carnegie Library, which was ultimately relocated in the mid-’90s, according to the museum’s website. Now, people visit the building for the third floor’s Carnegie Historical Museum, which hosts myriad Indigenous artifacts in its “Fairfield History Exhibit,” allowing people to get a sense of the area pre-colonization. What’s even better is that this museum has an expansive 3D tour on its website, so you can get lost in Fairfield’s history no matter where you are in the world.
5. Stanley Museum of Art
While not strictly an Indigenous museum, the University of Iowa’s Stanley Museum of Art, located in Iowa City, has a collection titled “Indigenous Art of the Americas,” featuring the work of Native people from across North America. That’s right: You can witness art not only from local tribes but also from Native Mexicans and more. The best part is that there’s no admission fee, and the Stanley Museum of Art is open every day except Mondays. With this, there’s no reason not to go check out garments, ceramic figures, and more that await you at this museum.
Read up on Iowa’s Indigenous history
Books are knowledge, and knowledge is power. That might sound simple, but when it comes to marginalized voices and cultures, the onus of educating people shouldn’t fall on the marginalized person or community. Instead, we should commit ourselves to learning so that we can, in turn, uplift their voices and cultures.
Here are a few books you can check out that specifically detail Iowa’s Indigenous history:
1. “The Indians of Iowa”
Written by Lance M. Foster and published by the University of Iowa Press, “The Indians of Iowa” recounts in detail the state’s long Native history, guiding readers through various tribes in an effort to showcase that Indigenous cultures are all different—and the land now known as the U.S. state of Iowa was once home to diverse populations. Amazon reviewers note that the book has a lot of information packed into it, so you may want to take your time with this one. You’ll get the most out of it if you take it slowly and really digest it.
2. “Iowa Native Americans”
This children’s book by Carole Marsh is a great primer for Indigenous history in the state, making it perfect not only for the kiddos in your life but also you if you need a place to start before, say, diving in deeper via Lance M. Foster’s “The Indians of Iowa.” Like the previous book, this one also goes tribe by tribe, granting readers an overview of the myriad peoples who have long called Iowa home. In fact, this book details plenty of cultural differences between the tribes, showing even more that there’s beauty in diversity.
3. “Encyclopedia of Iowa Indians”
Finally, if you’re interested in reading about specific Native Americans, you should check out Donald Ricky’s “Encyclopedia of Iowa Indians.” In our opinion, this would be best read after the aforementioned books so that you enter it with a lot of familiarity with the state’s history and peoples, but we don’t doubt that you’ll get plenty out of this even if you start with it. In addition to walking you through a number of historically impactful Indigenous folks, this book offers information about the U.S. government’s role in the systematic oppression of Native peoples over several centuries. When read together, these books can paint a big picture of Iowa’s past—and present.
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