Indigenous Peoples Day, Montana 2024 Activities:

(https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-r/)
Indigenous Peoples Day is this coming Monday, October 14th! Indigenous Peoples Day is a holiday on the second Monday in October that celebrates and honors Montana’s rich history and culture and the contributions of Indigenous Montanans to our state and communities. This year’s holiday will be marked by local celebrations across Montana, from Glendive to Billings to Missoula.
“We see Indigenous Peoples Day as an act of reconciliation,” said Edward Barta, Chair of Northern Plains Resource Council. “It’s not an effort to change history; it’s an effort to celebrate our full history. Loving Montana means acknowledging its full history.”
Will we see you at one of the following celebrations?
• Billings (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-y/): Indigenous Peoples Day Montana and Western Native Voice have planned events that will begin at 10:00 AM at Boothill Cemetery, move to the Big Horn Resort at 12:00 PM for a free lunch feed, and conclude with evening festivities at 6:00 PM at the Big Horn Resort.
• Bozeman (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-j/): Indigenous Peoples Day Montana and the Extreme History Project are organizing an event from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Peets Hill in Bozeman.
• Great Falls (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-t/): Western Native Voice and members of the Little Shell Tribal Council are hosting an event that featuring speakers, live entertainment, a fry bread contest, and kids’ activities from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at Great Falls College’s Heritage Hall.
• Missoula (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-i/): The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes are hosting the 3rd Annual Beartracks Celebration Powwow from 1:00 to 5:00 PM at Caras Park.
• Glendive (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-d/): Dawson Community College is hosting their 5th annual Indigenous Peoples Day celebration with a full day of events beginning at 9 AM.
• Butte (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-h/): Butte Native Wellness Center, Western Native Voice, and Butte-Silver Bow County will host a celebration from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Butte-Silver Bow Courthouse. The first 100 attendees will receive a free Indian taco!
“We really just want to celebrate everyone’s Indigenous roots, and build our relationships and recognition of each other, our elders, and the land,” said Tom Mexicancheyenne, Northern Cheyenne tribal member and Northern Plains member from Lame Deer. “Our goal is to help us all respect each other and overcome our fear of one another.”
“This is a day to celebrate all people,” said Marsha Small, co-founder of Indigenous Peoples Day Montana. Indigenous Peoples Day Montana is a grassroots group that formed in 2015 around the goal of establishing Indigenous Peoples Day as a holiday in Bozeman, Montana. The group succeeded in that effort in 2016 and has since led the charge to pass a bill establishing Indigenous Peoples Day as a statewide holiday in five consecutive sessions of the Montana Legislature. “Everyone is Indigenous to somewhere, and all Montanans play a role in stewarding this place. We see this holiday as an opportunity to recognize that we are all here to care for these lands, and that our relationships and care for the land unite us.”
Northern Plains is proud to participate in a coalition of organizations working together to advance legislation to establish Indigenous Peoples Day as a statewide holiday at the 2025 Montana Legislature. Led by Indigenous Peoples Day Montana (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-k/), the coalition also includes Western Native Voice (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-u/), The Extreme History Project (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-o/), Mountain Time Arts (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-m/)
, and
Gallatin Valley Land Trust (https://northernplainsresourcecouncil.cmail20.com/t/j-l-gdkdhkd-ikgtuqx-c/)
.
“It’s important to have holidays that represent all Montanans, which is why our future legislation will simply give Montanans the option to celebrate either Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day,” said Senator Shane Morigeau. Senator Morigeau has introduced bills establishing Indigenous Peoples Day in successive sessions of the Montana Legislature. “I believe it’s more important to move forward in a way that gives people the option of celebrating a holiday that unifies them, which is what we have seen with Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations throughout Montana.”
If you have any questions or want to learn more about the campaign to pass Indigenous Peoples Day, contact Caitlin Cromwell at
caitlin@northernplains.org (mailto:caitlin@northernplains.org)
.