Photo/Bhuvan Jain A participant wears an decorated headdress during Saturday's powwow in anticipation of today's holiday, which featured dance, music and food.
Posted on 10/13/2003 9:11:20 AM PDT by chance33_98
City Celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day in Style
Photo/Bhuvan Jain A participant wears an decorated headdress during Saturday's powwow in anticipation of today's holiday, which featured dance, music and food.
By JESSIE BRUNNER Contributing Writer Monday, October 13, 2003
Flashes of light gleamed off the vibrant, elaborate dress of a small group of American-Indian dancers as they moved to pulsating drum beats, transforming Martin Luther King Jr. Park into an Indian powwow Saturday.
A large crowd gathered to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, today's holiday that, in 1992, officially replaced Columbus Day in Berkeley. For many in attendance, the 12th annual celebration brings those in the American-Indian community together to remember their traditions, beliefs and struggles.
"The native people started the movement to change the day in order to celebrate 500 years of survival in spite of all the horrible things that happened," said John Curl, who serves on the Indigenous Peoples Day Committee.
People of all ages and ethnicities came to celebrate the lifestyle of the American Indians, which many said was more sustainable and a better way to prevent conflicts between groups.
"We don't believe in ownership," said Tom Phillips, master of ceremonies. "Even our children aren't really ours. They are just ours to embrace as they grow up."
Attendees munched on fry bread as they surveyed the Indian market and the dancers. Vendors sold beaded jewelry of all types and colors, dream catchers, heavy Indian rugs and blankets, and even turquoise nail-clippers.
The arbor, or dancing arena, was blessed before dancers from various tribes performed their native dances, decked in traditional regalia complemented by large, ornate feather headdresses.
"I grew up powwow dancing in Oklahoma and it has been part of my whole life," said Shar Suke, an event coordinator who is both Oneida and Cherokee. "This spiritual-based system is where I find my community."
The day began early for some. Those who participated in the second annual Shellmound Run gathered at 8:30 a.m. at the Berkeley Shellmound located on University Avenue and Fourth Street.
One of the oldest American Indian sites, the Shellmound—the Ohlone Indian's sacred burial ground—has now been covered beneath parking lots, railroad tracks and a restaurant.
"This site belongs to all of us and I don't appreciate that the city thinks it has the authority to destroy it," said Venetia Moore, who works on the event's committee and participated in Saturday's run. "It's not okay to destroy anybody's culture like that."
Following the reading of an official declaration proclaiming the holiday, Councilmember Kriss Worthington told an eager crowd that after 12 years of planning, the park's fountain would be refurbished as Turtle Island Memorial, referring to the Canadian and North American territory, in time for next year's powwow.
City offices are closed today and parking meters will not be regulated in recognition of the holiday.
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"This site belongs to all of us and I don't appreciate that the city thinks it has the authority to destroy it," said Venetia Moore, who works on the event's committee and participated in Saturday's run.
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So which is it???
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nevermind.
dep
The fact they are trying to replace colombus day is what bothers me...
No doubt, there's some Siberian living in Vlad, who has in his food cellar, a stone tablet that is the deed to all the lands west of the "Sunrise Land's Great Divide", which predates the ornamenta in the above story.
Indeed, our hero, Igor, probably has an attorney (Jewish) in San Francisco, who is an expert on old times and old deeds.
To wit: The written history of mankind, is really a stack of unpaid bills.
dep
Not a terrible idea if they brought the two together to cellebrate the coming together of the Old World and the New World except Berkely hates America and they are doing it out of spite.
But why "celebrate" "indigenous peoples"? They essentially got their asses handed to them by the Europeans. Mourn them, maybe, but celebrate? Pshaw...
...except of course for the Judeo-Christian culture.
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