- Details
- By Levi Rickert
The Native American Guardian Association has teamed up with the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans to celebrate Christopher Columbus in the annual Chicago Columbus Day parade in Chicago.
However, the collaborative effort is misleading in that the Native American Guardian Association consists of mainly Native Americans who live outside of Chicago. The Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative, a true representation of Chicagoland Native Americans, do not support the parade–and have not for several years.
Instead, they celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
In a terse statement issued last week, the collaborative maintains Columbus was a villain who initiated the greatest genocide in human history and was the father of the transatlantic slave trade.
The Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative is a network of 16 organizations and programs, based in Chicago or the state of Illinois.
“The collaboration of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and the Native American Guardian Association (NAGA) gives an erroneous impression that the Native American Community of Chicago and Illinois are in support of Columbus Day. Nothing can be further from the truth,” the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative said in a statement released last week.
Andrew Johnson (Cherokee), who heads the Native American Chamber of Commerce, doesn’t think Columbus should be celebrated as a hero.
“Recognizing Columbus in this way perpetuates the falsehoods and myths regarding contact, colonization and its effect on our Native American community in Chicago, the state of Illinois and western hemisphere. We will continue to fight to make sure our story is told, the true heroes acknowledged and we have proper representation.” Johnson said to Native News Online.
The Native American Guardian Association, based in North Dakota, has a purpose of promoting Native American history and preservation. Contrary to sentiments of most Native Americans, the association endorses mascots and the usage of Native American imagery for sports teams.
“The Chicago and Illinois Native American community does not support the recognition of Columbus Day nor the work of the Native American Guardian Association in representing our local interests. Many of their members are simply individuals who do not have the authority to speak on behalf of their tribal nation and certainly not the Chicago and Illinois Native American Community, the statement continues. “Our Native American community celebrates all Italian Americans and their contributions to our country, but we cannot support the negative impact and legacy of Christopher Columbus.”
The following groups and programs signed the statement:
Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative
American Indian Health Services of Chicago
Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation
CPS American Indian Education Program
D’Arcy McNickle Center for the American Indian and Indigenous Studies at the Newberry Library
St. Kateri Center of Chicago
Chicago American Indian Center
Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois
Visionary Ventures NFP
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
Trickster Cultural Center
Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana (Chicago Branch)
Representatives
Andrew Johnson, enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois
Matthew Beaudet, enrolled citizen of the Montaukett Indian Nation
Les Begay, enrolled citizen of the Dine’ Nation, Indigenous Peoples Day Coalition of Illinois
Dave Spencer, enrolled citizen of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Co-executive
Director, American Indian Center of Chicago
Jay Young, enrolled citizen of Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Co-executive Director,
American Indian Center of Chicago
Nataka Moore, Board President, American Indian Center of Chicago
Mary Smith, enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Caroline and Ora Smith Foundation
Marne Smiley, enrolled citizen of the Otoe-Missouria
Susan Stanley – enrolled citizen of the Ojibwe, Lac du Flambeau WI
Felicia Peters – enrolled citizen of the Menominee and Santo Domingo Pueblo
Cyndee Fox-Starr- enrolled citizen of the Omaha-Odawa-Potawatomi
Kim Vigue, enrolled citizen of Oneida Nation of Wisconsin/Descendant of Menominee
Nation and Executive Director, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian.
Rose Miron, Director, D’Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies
Shelly Tucciarelli, enrolled citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin
Vincent Romero, enrolled citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna
Megan Bang, Ojibwe/Italian, Professor, Northwestern University
Julianna Castro, enrolled citizen of the Navajo Nation, American Indian Health Service of Chicago
Jody Roy, Ojibwe enrolled citizen of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Director of St. Kateri
Center of Chicago
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