CSU celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day – The Cauldron

Photo Credit: AP News

In elementary school, students are taught that the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, but what often goes unmentioned is how the sailer treated the Indigenous people of the Americas that he so famously came to discover.

As students grow older, their understanding of Columbus begins to shift. The explorer, who is commemorated on the second Monday of October each year, is wildly controversial, with criticism of his violence against and enslavement of the Indigenous populations he crossed paths with.

With this growing criticism shedding light on the history behind Columbus’ discovery, a global movement to change the name of the federally recognized Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day commenced. In light of this movement, more than a dozen states in America have agreed to formally change the holiday name. 

Ohio is not on that list. However, CSU refers to the holiday by both names.

“This upcoming Monday, October 9, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, also recognized historically as Columbus Day,” shared CSU in an email Thursday, Oct. 5. “In the United States we observe this as a day of commemoration and an opportunity to observe the historic contributions and cultures of Native American peoples.”

The university voted to officially change the name during a faculty senate meeting held on Nov. 3, 2021.

The city of Cleveland, in particular, has a rich Indigenous history.

Cleveland was once populated by the Erie people, also known as the Cat Nation, during the 17th century. They were nicknamed the Cat Nation due to the large number of wild cats that lived in the area. The area was also inhabited by the Navajo, Iroquois and Sioux people.

The Indigenous communities of Northeast Ohio area were slowly wiped out in acts of colonization from 1607 until 1783.

The state of Ohio was also full of different Native American tribes during that same time period, and a lot of Indigenous artwork can still be seen today, such as the Serpent Mound in Peebles, Ohio. 

Although Cleveland celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day, the city has a history of using offensive terms in the past to refer to Indigenous peoples.

Cleveland’s baseball team, known as The Guardians today, received backlash in the late 2010s regarding their former name, “The Indians,” as well as their logo, Chief Wahoo. Criticism of the name and logo as racially insensitive and prejudicial prompted calls for a name change among Native American communities and beyond.

In 2021, the team made a statement announcing that they would formally change their name to “The Cleveland Guardians.”

The Cleveland Museum of Art is hosting an exhibit dedicated to Indigenous people.

CSU classes are canceled Tuesday, October 10 in observance of the holiday. Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Columbus Day is Monday, Oct. 9.