BOSTON (WHDH) - Communities across the state will be holding events to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but many places will be closed today.
What’s open/closed today:
- Post Offices: Closed
- Government offices: Closed
- Banks: Some open
- Retailers: Most open
Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations today:
- Winchester: Wright-Locke Farm (82 Ridge St, Winchester, MA 01890) – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Newton: Albermarle Field (250 Albemarle Rd, Newton, MA 02460) – 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Brookline: Brookline Public Health Building (11 Pierce St, Brookline, MA 02445) – 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
This is the second year people have celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day after former Boston Mayor Kim Janey signed an executive order last year, approving a holiday change to recognizing recognize Indigenous history.
“Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates the rich cultural legacies of our Indigenous communities while also declaring Boston is ready to work with our neighbors to create a more just future,” Janey wrote in her statement last year. “With Boston’s long history comes an opportunity and obligation to acknowledge the difficult parts of our past and dedicate ourselves to fostering a more equitable City. Observing Indigenous Peoples Day is about replacing the colonial myths passed down from generation to generation with the true history of the land upon which our nation was founded.”
The move was prompted in part by Indigenous people and other activists who called for the state to rename Columbus Day, pushing back against the notion that Columbus discovered the Americas, which were already populated by Indigenous people. Many supporters of the switch said it would recognize the resilience of Indigenous people who endured colonization.
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