October 13, 2019
Photo Credit to Erin Clark/Boston Globe
BOSTON- Boston’s annual Columbus Day parade held no joy for George Pradt and his native American compatriots.
“For me and my friends as indigenous people, the history book has been misconstrued the history. It’s actually we who discovered Columbus.” Pradt said on Sunday, sitting on the steps of City Hall Plaza as preparations were made for the start of the parade.
The Columbus Day Parade is an annual Boston event that celebrates Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. This year the parade started from City Hall Square before crossing into the Italian American North End neighborhood.
Over the years, the parade participants have expanded beyond Italian Americans groups to become a more multi-ethnic festival to honor Italian Americans’ culture contribution to the communities.
But Pradt, an Indian artist from New Mexico believes Massachusetts should replace Columbus Day with Native Americans Day (also known as Indigenous People’s Day), as has been done in states such as New Mexico and California.
“They said in our history book that Columbus ‘discovered’ Americans, but we are here for generations,” he said. “They murdered our people and eradicated us from our land. What was the slogan? ‘Kill the Indians, save the men’.”
Rather than honoring Columbus, movements around the country have argued that Columbus initiated a brutal colonization over native Americans, and campaigned to change the holiday’s name to Native Americans’ Day
Pradt wasn’t alone in his stand. Others at the Boston celebration couldn’t ignore the controversy of Columbus’ history. Some said the government should keep both festivals in memory of Columbus and native Americans.
“Indian native Americans were here first. We took away from them in a not so polite manner. So I don’t see why not make Native Americans’ Day into a national holiday,” said Ed Burg, a paramedic, firefighter and engineer. “The government should set the two festival back to back. Like Native Americans’ Day on Sunday, and Columbus Day on Monday.”
Lloyd Wentzell, a retired staffer at Shriners Hospital, said it’s okay to add a Native Americans’ Day, but he strongly opposed combining the two days.
“Indian native’s history is part of history in the Midwest, just like Columbus is part of our history in the East Coast. So combining two festivals together will let people forget about the history,” Wentzell said.
“It’s like when we combine the celebration for Lincoln’s birthday and Washington’s birthday into Presidents’ Day, fewer and fewer people will understand it is celebrated to honor two of our founders.”
Some held a more traditional view.
“I think it’s stupid to change the name of Columbus Day into Native Americans’ Day, because what they say against Columbus is wrong. According to history, Columbus is a great navigator and an important person,” Charles Walsh, a retired man in the parade claimed, “If they want to celebrate Native Americans’ Day or Indigenous People’s Day, do it another day.”
Pradt and other Native Americans may have to wait for a while for their vision that one day Boston people walk on streets to honor Indian tradition to come true. But Pradt said he was happy to see something has changed gradually.
“An Indigenous People’s Day celebration will be held on October 14 at Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I planned to go there tomorrow.” Pradt said.
