October 12, 2006

Columbus Day poem

“Columbus Day”--Poem by Cherokee poet, Jimmy DurhamIn school I learned of heroic discoveries
Made by liars and crooks. The courage
Of millions of sweet and true people
Was not commemorated.

Let us then declare a holiday
For ourselves, and make a parade that begins
With Columbus' victims and continues
Even to our grandchildren who will be named
In their honor.
Comment:  Happy Native American Day!

5 comments:

writerfella said...

Writerfella here --
What a natural! Instead of protesting or sniping or carping at the Columbus Day celebrants, hold alternative celebrations! It is so simple and elegant an idea that its meaning cannot be overlooked! Word of this should be spread as far as it can go! It would have much the same effect or more as the 'Providing Security Since 1492' T-shirt! And I am serious, deadly serious!
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

Rob said...

Some information on Columbus Day and its variants:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=4302

Today some state governments have taken a hard look at the true history of Columbus, the man. They have dropped his day as a state paid holiday. Around seventeen states have taken this action. The state of South Dakota by law changed Columbus Day to Native American Day. Oklahoma government dropped Columbus Day, it now has a bill before it calling for Native American Day. The state Republican party leadership wants nothing to do with it.

A bill is now before the U.S. Congress calling for National Native American Day. Thirty Congressmen at this time have signed on in support, but not one of them is a Republican.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_de_la_Raza

The date of Columbus' arrival in the Americas is celebrated in Latin America (and in some Latino communities in the USA) as the Día de la Raza ("day of the race"), commemorating the first encounters of Europe and Native Americans. The day was first celebrated in Argentina in 1917, Venezuela in 1921, Chile in 1923, and Mexico in 1928. The day was also celebrated under this title in Spain until 1958, when it was changed to the "Día de la Hispanidad." In Spain, the "race" of reference in the original name was that of the Spanish people and did not reflect the mestizo characterization found in many Latin American countries (see La Raza).

In 2002, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela changed the name to Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance).

writerfella said...

Writerfella here --
There may be such a bill being considered by the Oklahoma legislature, but it is far from making any news here. And Oklahomans celebrated 'Columbus Day' on the 9th with office and agency closings and parades. writerfella spent the day watching THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT, 28 DAYS LATER, and SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW on DVD...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

Not a Sioux said...

". writerfella spent the day watching ... THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT..."

Any votes for Ashton Kutcher Day?

Rob said...

I liked The Butterfly Effect--at least the director's cut. The Day After Tomorrow was also pretty good.