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Native communities celebrate Indigenous People鈥檚 Day

91暗网 | By Jeanette DeDios
Published October 11, 2022 at 12:27 PM MDT
The Chichimeca Mexica Azteca group performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on Indigenous People's Day.
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The Chichimeca Mexica Azteca group performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on Indigenous People's Day.
Jeanette DeDios
Pojoaque and Nambe danacers performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
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Pojoaque and Nambe danacers performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Jeanette DeDios
Zuni dancer performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
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Zuni dancer performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Jeanette DeDios
Female dancer adjusting her footwear from the Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca .
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Female dancer adjusting her footwear from the Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca .
Jeanette DeDios
Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
5 of 8  — IPD5.JPG
Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Jeanette DeDios
Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
6 of 8  — IPD6.JPG
Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Jeanette DeDios
The public joining the Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca during a dance.
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The public joining the Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca during a dance.
Jeanette DeDios
Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
8 of 8  — IPD8.JPG
Calpulli Tlacayotl group from Chichimeca Mexica Azteca performing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Jeanette DeDios

October 10th marked the fourth year that New Mexico has recognized Indigenous People鈥檚 Day, with celebrations across the state including at the in Albuquerque, where Native tribes, dancers and civic officials celebrated.

Dawn Nuvayestewa is Hopi and the cultural events coordinator at the center. She said that the pandemic has prevented a lot of people from participating in the dances and watching them in recent years, but this year is different.

"I think this year, a lot of people are very happy to see those dancers and those groups, and just being able to be out and about again."

Sunshine Duran, from the Chichimeca Mexica Azteca group described how she feels when she鈥檚 dancing.

"As I make my prayer in the middle of the circle, I just sometimes feel like something inside of me is saying, I'm dancing with my ancestors, and I feel light as a feather," said Duran. "And I just let the beat of the drum take me wherever it wants to take me."

Also marking Indigenous People's Day, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham rescinding proclamations from the 1800s, by territorial governors, that included authorization of violence against Native people.

Lujan Grisham signed a bill replacing Columbus Day, which commemorated the day Christopher Columbus made landfall in 1492, in 2019.

The bill passed the legislature but continues to be divisive. The Republican Party of New Mexico issued a yesterday saying, "we commemorate Columbus Day."

The statement said that the left has attempted to erase the history of Columbus which it called unfortunate as, "Christopher Columbus's discovery into America includes lessons that we as Americans must continue to learn from."

Nuvayestewa, the events co-ordinator, said that the Indigenous People's Day celebrations were a good way for Native and other people to learn about history.

"Just being able to celebrate where we come from who we are, being able to tell people a little bit about our culture and our dances, I think it's good to just share that information," she said. "Just for others to know and to respect each other."
Tags
Local News Indigenous Peoples DayIndian Pueblo Cultural CenterDawn NuvayestewaSunshine DuranMichele Lujan Grisham
Jeanette DeDios
Jeanette DeDios is from the Jicarilla Apache and Din茅 Nations and grew up in Albuquerque, NM. She graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2022 where she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Multimedia Journalism, English and Film. She鈥檚 a former Local News Fund Fellow. Jeanette can be contacted at jeanettededios@kunm.org or via Twitter @JeanetteDeDios.
See stories by Jeanette DeDios
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