Celebrate Indigenous People's Day: October 14, 2024

For me, Indigenous People’s Day is a great day to celebrate the many amazing facets of how America’s first residents lived in harmony with the earth.

The civilization and economies developed with the available resources are fascinating. Agriculture, hunting, fishing, gathering, manufacturing, art, and music. All done respectfully in sustainable balance with nature. We can learn much from past practices, and it’s inspiring to see people keeping culture, tradition, and language alive and active into the present day.

In September, United Tribes Technical College held their 54th annual International Powwow. You could hear the singing and drumming reverberate through the Missouri River Valley. The great river gave fertile soil for crops, wild plants for food and medicine, wildlife, and the mighty cottonwood trees that supported earth lodges designed to withstand harsh winters. 

You can still see evidence of this along its banks. Although much has been lost, much is remembered.

Be sure to thank all those who remember and pass these stories through time. This knowledge and strength are sure to be helpful to future generations.