The Columbus Day celebration forces the National Park Service to deal with two conflicting themes -- joyful celebration of Columbus’ “discovery” of the New World, and somber reflection on the holocaust that ensued for Native Americans. As honored tradition demands, the first theme is handled with pomp and circumstance. The second theme is handled respectfully, but with no fanfare.
If you know anyone who doubts that the National Park Service is deeply involved in the national Columbus Day celebration, have them read this National Park Service press release dated October 5, 2009:
The National Park Service and the National Columbus Celebration Association will co-sponsor the 92nd annual Christopher Columbus ceremony. This ceremony will be held at the Christopher Columbus Statue in Columbus Plaza, opposite Union Station at 11 a.m., Monday, October 11. The United States Marine Band will provide a musical prelude beginning at 10:45 a.m.
The monumental statue was dedicated June 8, 1912; and has been the focal point for yearly celebrations since that time to honor the great navigator and discoverer. The front shaft of the statue, which is crowned with a globe supported by eagles, is a prow of a ship with winged figurehead symbolizing Discovery. Columbus Day was declared a national holiday in 1971.
The annual ceremony is open and free to the public. The ceremony will feature representatives from the Diplomatic Corps of Italy, Spain, The Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the Organization of American States. Ceremonial music provided by the United States Marine Band, "The President's Own" under the direction of Lt Col Michael J. Colburn and Capt Jason K. Fettig, conducting. On June 8 1912, "The President's Own" United States Marine Band participated in the unveiling of the Columbus Memorial Fountain, providing ceremonial music during the official ceremony. Like the monuments the Marine Band has helped dedicate, its continued presence in American life stands as a symbol of the traditions and ideals on which our country was founded.
Dr. David R. Curfman, President of the National Columbus Celebration Association, will serve as master of ceremonies. Mr. Gentry Davis, Deputy Regional Director, National Park Service will give remarks. The United States Armed Forces Honor Guard, Military District of Washington Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Color Corps, Calvert Province and the Districts of Washington Archdiocese, Maryland and Virginia will make the Presentation of Colors. Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, Chaplain; United States House of Representatives, will deliver the invocation.
Miss Monika Grzesik, resident of Macomb Township, Michigan, the national winner of the eighth annual youth essay contest, will deliver her essay entitled "A Day in the Life of Christopher Columbus the Explorer." Since 1996 this nation-wide contest is co-sponsored by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and The National Italian American Foundation. The prize for the national winner is a cash prize of $1,200 along with travel expenses and hotel accommodations for the student and one parent/guardian to Washington, D.C. for the holiday weekend.
The ceremony will conclude with the laying of wreaths at the statue by many national and local fraternal, civic, patriotic and cultural societies.
Meanwhile, this announcement in the Rapid City Journal heralded the events of the past weekend over at South Dakota’s Badlands National Park:
Interpretive presentations on bison and beadwork and moccasin-making demonstrations will be presented at Badlands National Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 10 and 11 to commemorate Native American Day.
In case of inclement weather, programs will be conducted inside at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center classroom.
For more information, contact the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, Badlands National Park at 605-433-5241 or e-mail [email protected].
This is in a state whose legislature officially replaced Columbus Day with Native American Day two decades ago. This is in a national park whose visitor center is named after the first Native American park ranger, whose superintendent is a Native American, and whose entire South Unit – about half of the park’s total area -- consists of Pine River Reservation land belonging to the Oglala Sioux tribe.
Postscript: In some quarters, liberals are being accused of taking Native American issues too seriously, as by considering the annual Native American Day celebration worthy of public respect. Hearing this claim, Native Americans are quick to point out that it was Ronald Reagan himself who, while governor of California, in 1968, signed a resolution calling for a holiday called American Indian Day. In 1998 the California state legislature established Native American Day as an official state holiday.
Comments
We sure are products of our consumerist time. Columbus may have been ignorant about the effects of his actions, but we're not. He might have had some excuse, but we don't. God knows what judgment will come from the archaeologist a thousand years from now who will find our putrid piles of polymer trash. I've been an active naturalist for most of my life. No lip service here - I use public transport and recycled before it was cool. I've pulled more crap out of streams, oil off of ducks, and garbage off of trails than I can shake a wicked stick at. The beauty of Yosemite? Bollux! I can't afford to go there. Yosemite exists on websites and in picture books. My natural world is ugly, polluted, and degraded. Since I've been in the muck and not opining from an executive's desk, do any of my efforts matter? Hard to tell. Sanctimonious? Maybe. Disgusted? Definitely.
Columbus and his contemporaries knew they were on top of the food chain and acted like predators. There's nothing to celebrate about Columbus. Forget about our latter-day Columbuses! I can either lament the predators of our time, or I can do something about it. And there are lots of people just like me, without advanced degrees or proven credentials. Get your angst-ridden enjoyment of the crown jewel parks while you still can. I'm not going to waste my time wondering about what future historians will say - next Saturday I'll be working in the muck. History will take care of itself.
Why don't we just rename it Italian New-World-Explorers' Day. In addition to Columbus and Cabot(o), there was also Giovanni da Verrazzano.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_da_Verrazzano/
While all American school children are taught that Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, few are aware that not only the Viking Age explorers are proven to have made it to North America, but, that, possibly, many other explorers, traders, and colonists may have also visited our shores in truly ancient times. Even fewer are aware that Columbus never reached the mainland. Historical, epigraphical, genetic, cartographic, and archeological evidence accumulated over the past century of so indicates there may have been numerous ancient cultures that crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to visit the Americas. Columbus was not first, just the first to be recognized.
Many Native Americans protest the celebration of Columbus Day and many States and municipalities either do not recognize it as a legal holiday or celebrate the date under a different name and with different ideas or reasons.
This petition proposes to change the name of the holiday to one that all can support and celebrate: Explorers Day. Many people, not only in our history, but also living and working today deserve recognition for their explorations into areas of study that either once did or continue to enlighten mankind.
Those who believe that Columbus deserves celebration may still celebrate his great accomplishment as a navigator. Those who feel Meriwether Lewis and William Clark deserve recognition for their exploration of the American west can do so. Those who believe that Watson and Crick should be recognized for their revolution in genetics may celebrate them. Those who think Chief Joseph or Squanto deserve celebration may do so. All who explore new areas of study and thus contribute to the expansion of mankind's knowledge and peaceful coexistence deserve recognition, not just the most famous navigator.
Please consider adding your voice to this plea.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/exporers-day