San Diego honors Native culture and history at Indigenous Peoples’ Day events

Throughout the week, San Diego County will celebrate the holiday with educational workshops, music and festivals.

Written by Lauren J. Mapp, Edited by Kate Morrissey

Communities across San Diego County are gearing up for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, an annual recognition of Native traditions, culture, art and history.

Celebrated on the second Monday of October, the holiday serves as a time to honor Indigenous resilience and reclaim history. 

The day’s origin dates back to 1977 when it was proposed as a replacement for Columbus Day at the United Nations International Nongovernmental Organization Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, according to Britannica. South Dakota became the first state to hold a Native Americans’ Day in 1990, and two years later, Berkeley became the first city to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

In California — the state with the largest number of Indigenous people and the second most federally recognized tribes, behind Alaska — Gov. Gavin Newsom replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2019. During his first year in office, former President Joe Biden became the first United States president to honor it through a proclamation. 

While 17 states and the District of Columbia honor Indigenous communities on the second Monday of October, the federal government under the second Trump administration no longer recognizes the holiday. In a proclamation Thursday, President Donald Trump stated that the federal government will honor Christopher Columbus.

Columbus and the holiday in his honor have long been a point of contention for many Indigenous community members. 

The Italian explorer is largely viewed as one of the forefathers of genocide against Indigenous people in the Americas because he brought enslavement, sexual and physical abuse to communities in the Carribean. For decades, advocates have critiqued how the holiday and symbols like statues of Columbus glorify colonization and its erasure of the violence inflicted on Native peoples.

In 2021 the Chula Vista City Council voted 4-1 to remove a 6-foot bronze Columbus statue from Discovery Park, and the following year, it unanimously voted to rename the space where it once stood. 

The effort to have the statue removed was largely led by the Kanap Kuahan Coalition, which means to tell the truth in Kumeyaay. The group includes community organizations working to remove monuments negatively impacting the emotional health of Indigenous community members and other people of color, according to its Facebook page.

If you’re looking for a way to honor the holiday this year, here are some local Indigenous Peoples’ Day events, as well as Native-organized events throughout the week.

Oct. 13

San Diego Zoo Safari Park: San Pasqual Band of the Kumeyaay Nation is hosting its annual celebration at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Held for the first time in 2021, festivities include telling of the Kumeyaay creation story, an artisans exhibition, bird singing groups and special menu offerings made with traditional food staples throughout the park. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido, CA 92027

San Diego Miramar College: Soaring Eagles dance group and Kumeyaay bird singers will perform at San Diego Miramar College. The Native American Student Services Program will have a booth during the event. 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Compass Point, 10440 Black Mountain Rd., San Diego, CA 92126

Law of the Land: Protecting the Earth Empowering Voices: The Native Resource Center at San Diego State University is kicking off its annual Indigenous Peoples Day Week of Action with a discussion on the relationship between Native sovereignty, collective action and environmental protection. 2 p.m., Ellen Ochoa Pavilion 115, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182

“Who Gets To Be Indian?” Book Launch: California State University San Marcos is hosting a launch event for Dina Gilio-Whitaker's newest book, “Who Gets To Be Indian?” Co-hosted by the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center, American Indian Student Alliance and the American Indian Studies department, the event will touch on identity, tribal governance, sovereignty and other issues in Indigenous communities. 6 - 8:30 p.m., CSU San Marcos Kellogg Library, KEL 5400, 333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd., San Marcos, CA

Oct. 14

Inked in Strength: Womanhood, Preservation & Pride: In collaboration with the Women's Resource Center at SDSU, the Native Resource Center is gathering to discuss the ties between tattoos and womanhood in Indigenous and Pacific Islander communities. 3:30 - 5 p.m., Digital Humanities Center, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182

Oct. 15

Story Time with Oscar Munoz: The Native Resource Center and American Indian Studies at SDSU are co-hosting  a storytelling event sharing Indigenous knowledge and music with Oscar Muñoz, an assistant professor from the American Indian Studies department. 2:30 p.m., Ellen Ochoa Pavilion 115, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182

Oct. 16

Narcan Training: Continuing its Indigenous Peoples Day Week of Action, the Native Resource Center at SDSU is hosting a free narcan training, led by the Southern Indian Health Council. 2:30 p.m., Ellen Ochoa Pavilion 115, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182

Oct. 17

Bead to Believe: Weaving Traditions & Modern Representation: The Native Resource Center at SDSU is closing its Indigenous Peoples Day Week of Action with a workshop on Indigenous beadwork, traditions and history. Noon to 2 p.m., Ellen Ochoa Pavilion 115, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182

Oct. 18

Native American Heritage Festival: The Native Youth Foundation is hosting a festival honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Escondido. The day includes hands-on art booths, artist Lauren "Siyowin" Peters speaking on missing and murdered Indigenous people, live music, bird singing, a fashion show and food vendors. Admission is free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Grape Day Park, 321 N Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025

Pauma Fiesta: The Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians is holding a celebration of its history and culture in North County. The day includes traditional singing, peon, youth shinny games (a hockey-like game played with curved sticks), raffle prizes and Native food vendors. For more information, email Venessa Huaute at vmbrn103@gmail.com. 10 a.m., 777 Pauma Reservation Rd., Pauma Valley, CA 92061