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State holiday to honor Native Americans

January 23, 2012 @ 2:08 am

Exactly 157 years after Chief Seattle joined 81 leaders of Puget Sound tribes surrendering their land to the Governor, the Washington State Legislature is considering a state holiday in honor of Native Americans.

SeattleOn January 22, 1855 Tribes including the Duwamish and Suquamish signed a treaty with Governor Isaac Stevens to turn over their land, in exchange for cash and being able to relocate to reservations that had access to fishing and hunting grounds.

At the time, there were 9,712 Native Americans living west of the Cascades and only a few hundred white settlers in the Puget Sound area. The treaty didn't ensure peace, but it was the beginning of pushing Native Americans off of the property they had first.

Senate Bill 5183 , being considered in Olympia today, attempts to recognize Native's contributions by creating a state holiday called "Native American Heritage Day."

The new holiday would be the day after Thanksgiving Day. Placing the holiday on that particular day is not a strong statement from the Senate sponsors, considering that day is already a state legal and school holiday, and it's one many celebrate with black Friday shopping.

The legislation notes: "America's journey has been marked by both bright times of progress and dark moments of injustice for Native Americans...The Native American population was disrupted and nearly destroyed through European colonization. Genocide, slavery, and political and cultural repression were consequential adversities Native Americans had to overcome. In the face of such hardships, Native Americans endured; their cultural beliefs flourished; and today we celebrate their importance to the United States and the state of Washington."

By celebrating their importance, the state means renaming a date on the calendar - which was already a legal holiday for state workers, public schools, and local governments - Native American Heritage Day.

The state has a bunch of special days declared in honor of individuals and groups. January 13th was Korean-American day. January 26th is Washington Army and Air National Guard Day. April 16th is Mother Joseph day, while September 4th is set aside for Marcus Whitman. None of those days are legal holidays.

The state is trying to send a message that a day honoring tribes is unique because it's a legal holiday. If they really wanted to make it special, why not give Native Americans their own holiday instead of plopping the day on a calendar day that was already a holiday for most?

Photo: Chief Seattle, 1864. The original photograph for this often reprinted image has been altered by painting Chief Seattle's closed eyes to make them appear open and by blacking out the studio backdrop. Original Photo by E. M. Sammis, courtesy HistoryLink.org

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Comments (45)


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  • MainEvent wrote...
    Here's the PC police coming to save the day!
    January 23, 2012 6:08 am
    I'm all for a holiday for Native American's. But lets be smart and stop with this revisionist history (just like claiming king county was named after the Martin Luther King Jr. we all know of today) The only reason they are trying for a holiday in place is because they know it wouldn't pass if they were to make a new holiday.
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  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    My Two Cents...........
    January 23, 2012 6:11 am
    This topic will end up being a lightning rod for the crazies who don't like to read anything beyond the title of the story?
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  • Cougsfan34 wrote...
    Why not.
    January 23, 2012 6:34 am
    I mean, why not. Practically everything around here is named after an Indian tribe or a special word to that local tribe. We gave them exclusive rights to owning and operating large profit casinos. They then turn around and share the profit with their local tribal brothers and sisters ;(. Many of our local towns and cities have annual festivals for tribes. They are the biggest sellers of fireworks for the 4th. Some tribes have exclusive hunting rights of whales. Might as well give them a holiday that only the most liberal of Washingtonians will observe and the rest of us will just ignore. I mean how much more disrespectful can our leaders be then give the Indians a day that will be observed equally to secretary's day or flag day. Good luck with that. Of course this will be sold off as a dog and pony show to help us peons become more culturally aware of the Indians. Besides we continue to not address the main issue within the tribes of true income gap. But thats fine, I think we should make it June 20th or March 5th.
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  • seagal79 wrote...
    Thank you so very much
    January 23, 2012 11:50 am
    I would just like to thank you for giving us the rights to have a casino and profit from it to build clinics and support our local natives Thats Mighty WHITE of you..... What would we do without you gee maybe if our land wasn't taken to begin with and our grandparents weren't forced into boarding homes to learn your language we would never have had such a wonderful opportunity to prosper in this world.... On another note we don't need your pitty we honor all of our ancestors anyway and we celebrate these days without your approval...... That's just my thoughts.....
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  • Keitho wrote...
    OH BROTHER.....
    January 23, 2012 7:10 am
    We win....they lose....its over, why feel guilty about it?
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  • don over taxed wrote...
    Another Holiday
    January 23, 2012 7:16 am
    I think that we should take a whole week off, not just one day. The teachers need the break.
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  • ohyea53 wrote...
    That's a very nice gesture......BTW
    January 23, 2012 7:19 am
    HOW'S THE BUDGET PROCESS GOING???????????????????
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  • earl247 wrote...
    Let's celebrate
    January 23, 2012 7:39 am
    by taxing their casinos. Like every other state with Indian gaming does.
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  • Forrest wrote...
    Great idea
    January 23, 2012 8:14 am
    We can celebrate by moving a non-working major appliance onto our front lawn.
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Sounds good to me.
    January 23, 2012 8:23 am
    An other paid federal holiday off. Paid for at taxpayers expense.
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  • Drool wrote...
    Well This Just Proves...
    January 23, 2012 8:27 am
    ...the trolls either don't read the articles or have very poor reading comprehension. The day in question is the day after Thanksgiving which ALREADY IS A DAY OFF!!
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