Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities.
It began as a counter-celebration held on the same day as the U.S. federal holiday of Columbus Day, which honors Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Many reject celebrating Columbus, saying that he represents the violent history of the colonization in North America including the trans-atlantic slave trade and the genocide of indigenous peoples.
These Songs and Lyrics are available from a variety of albums:
Apache Exercisings Songs – Roman Orona for MMMKids
The Earth Is Our Mother – Traditional Native American Song/Gemini
First Americans, and So Proud – Learning by Song
Hey, Hey, Watanay – Traditional Ojibwa Native American Lullaby
Indian Summer Song – Barbara Klaskin Silberg - The W.L.A. Children's Choir
Indigenous Peoples' Day Remix – Fyütch (feat. Radmilla Cody)
Native Americans – Josh Ledbetter
Native American Counting Song – Roman Orona for MMMKids
Pocahontas – Jonathan Sprout
Sacajawea – Kathleen Wiley
Squanto – Kathleen Wiley
They Dance for Rain and Rainbows – Sam Jones
Tsa-La-Gi (Cherokee) – Judy Leonard
We Circle Around – Arapaho Native American Song
Wee Hee Nah – Traditional Native American Song
Ya Ha Haway – Traditional Native American Song
A Note from Songs for Teaching: Should you or your school continue to celebrate Columbus Day, we encourage you to use these songs with a committment to teach the truth about Christopher Columbus and to acknowledge the experience of Native Peoples. For example, Two of a Kind's Columbus Revisited can be used to teach how it might feel to be "discovered." Or try Fyütch's Indigenous People's Day Remix song for a good explanation with Native chanting by Radmilla Cody.
Here are some resources for you to consider: Un-Columbus Day;
Reconsider Columbus Day;
How to Honor Indigenous Peoples with Your Kids, Today and Every Day; Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resources
Age of Exploration– Learning by Song
A Brand New World – Ben Stiefel
A Shorter Way To the Indies – Ben Stiefel
Christopher Columbus - Kathleen Wiley
Christopher Columbus - Linda Brown/Dr. Thomas Moore
Columbus - Intelli-tunes
Columbus Revisited - Two of a Kind
European Explorers in a New World Musical Play - Bad Wolf Press
The Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria – Ben Stiefel
Book Suggestions:
See more Holiday, Native American and Social Studies Songs
