Indigenous Peoples Day

Indigenous Peoples' Day is about celebrating! The second Monday in October is a day to honor Native American people, their histories, and cultures. People mark the day with food, dancing, and songs. Readers will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

An Ojibwe girl practices her dance steps, gets help from her family, and is inspired by the soaring flight of Migizi, the eagle, as she prepares for her first powwow.

In 1992 Berkeley, California became the first city in the world to officially celebrate October 12 as Indigenous Peoples Day. This book is for people everywhere who want to know more about Indigenous Peoples Day, where it came from, what it's all about, and who want to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in your part of the world. This is both a documentary history and an oral history, a compilation of how we did it, and a practical manual or guidebook of sorts, with some cautionary tales. Other U.S. cities and states have since joined, including Seattle, Minneapolis, Denver, Phoenix, Santa Cruz, Sebastopol, Nevada City, Madison, Richmond (CA), Vermont, and Alaska. Indigenous Peoples Day is also celebrated in numerous communities by groups, organizations, schools, tribes, and friends. Indigenous Peoples Day is a fast growing movement. In addition, South Dakota celebrates Native American Day and Hawaii now honors the Polynesian explorers. 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of the first Berkeley Indigenous Peoples Day, and the 525th anniversary of the European invasion of the Americas, 1492-2017. "This book is a treasure, a collective project of both oral and documentary history of a quarter of a century organizing, which continues. Every activist and engaged teacher will find the Berkeley Indigenous Peoples Day book indispensable." Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, author of An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States. "Reading this book is like multi-tasking reviewing the past, evaluating the present and planning and plotting for the future. Let this book serve you as you move forward to building a movement of resistance. After you read it, share it with your family and friends. It could change our world!" Nina Serrano, poet, KPFA radio producer, and participant in the first Indigenous Peoples Day "This is the first authentic history of Indigenous Peoples Day, a detailed history by those who lived it, and an invaluable "how-to" handbook for other communities who want to do the same. It is a must-read for all indigenous activists." Nanette Deetz (Dakota, Cherokee) poet, writer, journalist with Bay Area News Group, Native News Online, and Tribal Business Journal.

★ "A quiet loveliness, sense of gratitude, and—yes—happiness emanate from this tender celebration of simple pleasures."--Publishers Weekly, starred review The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This beautiful board book, with illustrations from celebrated artist Julie Flett, serves as a reminder for little ones and adults alike to reflect on and cherish the moments in life that bring us joy. International speaker and award-winning author Monique Gray Smith wrote My Heart Fills with Happiness to support the wellness of Indigenous children and families, and to encourage young children to reflect on what makes them happy.

Lacrosse has been a central element of Indigenous cultures for centuries, but once non-Indigenous players entered the sport, it became a site of appropriation – then reclamation – of Indigenous identities. The Creator’s Game focuses on the history of lacrosse in Indigenous communities from the 1860s to the 1990s, exploring Indigenous-non-Indigenous relations and Indigenous identity formation. While the game was being appropriated in the process of constructing a new identity for the nation-state of Canada, it was also being used by Indigenous peoples to resist residential school experiences, initiate pan-Indigenous political mobilization, and articulate Indigenous sovereignty. This engaging and innovative book provides a unique view of Indigenous self-determination and nationhood in the face of settler-colonialism.

In this introduction to the Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals, young children explain why they identify with different creatures such as a deer, beaver or moose. Delightful illustrations show the children wearing masks representing their chosen animal, while the few lines of text on each page work as a series of simple poems throughout the book. In a brief author’s note, Danielle Daniel explains the importance of totem animals in Anishinaabe culture and how they can also act as animal guides for young children seeking to understand themselves and others.

Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal #1 New York Times Bestseller Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption—a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade. Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all . . . When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth And poison her people’s water, one young water protector Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.