Great Barrington — The Alliance for a Viable Future held its annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations on Friday, October 6, at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, and Monday, October 9, at Giggle Park. The holiday honors Native American peoples and their cultures and takes place on the second Monday in October, on the Columbus Day federal holiday.
Great Barrington adopted the holiday in 2019, while President Joseph Biden issued a presidential proclamation commemorating the holiday in 2021. However, Massachusetts does not officially recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, despite bills being introduced for the past three years in the state’s legislature. The latest bill was introduced in February and a public hearing was held on the bill by a joint committee of the State House and Senate in late September.
“To me, these events are all about unity, healing, and people coming together,” Shawn Stevens, a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians told The Berkshire Edge. Stevens has participated in several of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations organized by The Alliance for a Viable Future. “This is a reminder to all of our people, not just people who are Native American, that we all have indigenous roots and we have to have that mindset to protect Mother Earth and make a better place for the next generations and beyond,” Stevens said. “What do I think people can learn from Indigenous Peoples’ Day? I think they should learn that my people, the Mohican people, are still here. We are all still alive. Being indigenous is more of a mindset. We all come from indigenous cultures that are far back, whether it is Native American, European, Asian, or African. Our ancestors were much more connected with the Earth than we are now.”
When asked about how one could be more connected with the Earth, Stevens said, “Get outside, take your shoes off, put your feet on the ground, and get grounded with that energy. There’s energy everywhere, and that energy has medicine.”
The event at Giggle Park included several speakers and musical performances.
“There is a sense of togetherness whenever these events are held,” Ginger Stebens, member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, said. “Everyone from different religions, different nationalities, and different cultures all coming together so we can share our culture with them. I hope that the people who are here will take away from it our openness, and our willingness to be part of your communities. I know that everybody says ‘We are still here,’ and it’s getting a little cliché because most people already know that we are here. But what they need to know is that we still celebrate our culture, our roots, and our ancestors. We’ve been here in the Berkshires for a few days and we’ve made new friends, connections, and family members.”
On October 6, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center hosted a performance by flutist R. Carlos Nakai and Mohican storyteller Cheryl Fairbanks.
“What goes through my mind during Indigenous Peoples’ Day is that [the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians] was moved to Wisconsin, but now they are back on their homelands,” Fairbanks told The Berkshire Edge. “I think that’s very healing and very empowering. When you have that kind of healing with the people who currently live here, that’s a lot. It goes to show the power of peacemaking and a better understanding of who we are, especially for us as the Indigenous People of North America. We are surrounding ourselves with the settlers and the people who currently live here. To bring peace to that is challenging, but we’ve been in prayer and peacemaking all weekend. We’re ready to walk our walk, talk our talk, and build unity.”
