CELEBRATION: Indigenous People's Day events Monday

Travis Snyder, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
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Oct. 8—TRAVERSE CITY — Indigenous People's Day is Monday, with several events to honor the country's first inhabitants.

The holiday is observed on the second Monday in October — Oct. 9 this year — to refocus the colonial celebration of Columbus Day on those whose lives and culture were irrevocably altered by colonialism.

The Leland Cultural Campus will host a special event at 1 p.m. Speakers include Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Chief Appellate Judge JoAnne Cook, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Acting Chief Judge Holly T. Bird and artist Jamie John.

The Dennos Museum Center, in partnership with WCMU and the Traverse Area District Library, will feature stories, dancing, and Indigenous foods from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Attendees also can view the PBS documentary "The American Buffalo," a film by Ken Burns from 4 to 6 p.m.

According to the WCMU program guide, the film covers more than 10,000 years of North American history, "tracing its evolution, significance to the Great Plains and, most importantly, its relationship to the Indigenous People of North America."

Chef Sam Anglin, a Saginaw Chippewa citizen and head banquet chef at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, will make remarks and an introduction to the Indigenous food prepared for the reception.

Tickets are free, but reservations are required at wcmu.org/buffalo for more information.

The holiday was federally commemorated in 2021. Traverse City commissioners proclaimed Indigenous People's Day in 2015.

Associated Press reporting contributed to this article.