On Monday, downtown Leland will come alive with drum beats, the smell of fry bread and the sound of the Ojibwe language.
It’s the fourth annual Indigenous People’s Day, hosted by the Leelanau Historical Society, Leland Library and the Old Art Building.
Nationally, October 12 marks the day Christopher Columbus was said to discover the Americas. Grand Traverse Band member Joanne Cook said Indigenous People’s Day, now observed by 17 states, tells a different story.
“I think trying to change that narrative that we were discovered by Columbus, because as everyone knows, he didn't land here and we weren't Indians, but that's the name that was given to us,” Cook said. “What this does is to still show that we are here, that our culture is alive and well.”
Festivities will start at 12:45 p.m. at the Old Art Building with a dance and drumming performance by members of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Visitors can also see over 200 traditional baskets displayed at the Leelanau Historical Society Museum.
Then, a chance to try local Indigenous food by Tanya Raphael of Raphael Foods and watch a series of short films about the region’s cultural heritage.
One film highlights the Kchi Wiikwedong Anishinaabe History Marker Project, a series of steel sculptures displayed across Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties. Each marker highlights a teaching from Anishinaabe culture.
The day will conclude with a 6:00 pm talk by James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw, author of The Seven Generations and the Seven Grandfather Teachings. He's known for speaking internationally on Anishnaabe culture and creating the Ojibwe Word of the Day series online.
Kim Kelderhouse, executive director of the Leelanau Historical Society, said the day's events showcase a history that stretches longer than America’s 250 years and continues today.
“We never want it to be the only day people think about this,” she said. “We want it to be the spark that expires curiosity going forward, so that they continue to seek out information or relationships.”
