West Cook News

River Forest trustees have officially designated Oct. 11 as ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 

The date was commemorated this year on Columbus Day and was made a federal holiday this year as well.

Activists have been pushing the day in favor over Columbus Day.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous populations in the Americas,” the council’s proclamation reads.

The proclamation was brought forward as part of the council's consent agenda by President of the Village of River Forest Catherine M. Adduci.

“This Proclamation recognizes the right of Indigenous Peoples ‘to the dignity and diversity of their cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations which shall be appropriately reflected in education and public information’ and places an obligation on State to ‘take effective measures in consultation and cooperation with the Indigenous Peoples concerned, to combat prejudice and eliminate discrimination and to promote tolerance, understanding and good relations among Indigenous Peoples and all other segments of society,’” the proclamation reads.

The commemoration of ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day’ mirrors a practice that has been taken up by the council since first term River Forest Trustee Erika Bachner began reading an indigenous peoples statement prior to meetings.

“As we begin, we are mindful that we hold these meetings on land that was once and still is inhabited by indigenous people including the Ojibwa, Chippewa, Menominee, Potawatomi nations and more,” Bachner recites before each meeting. “We will remember our nation’s history and honor the native people as stewards of this land that was colonized, and that River Forest continues to be a place many people from diverse backgrounds live and gather.”

Other trustees have expressed their disdain for the statement.

West Cook News revealed last month that three of the four tribes in Bachner’s statement did not live in the area — two of them -- "Ojibwa" and "Chippewa" --  are actually the same tribe — and that the “colonized” land was provided as part of a treaty.  

Still, in a meeting last month trustees opted against saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

Earlier this year Bachner acknowledged that she is not aware of any other municipalities commencing board meetings with such statements; she vowed to read it to herself during the trustee comment portion of each meeting and at other opportunities.

“The Pledge of Allegiance is something we do to acknowledge our connection to the government,” she said. “I feel this is a mindful way to acknowledge our connection to the land and to the indigenous people who were here.”