Indigenous People’s Day took place on Monday, Oct. 10 this year, and presented several opportunities for University of Idaho students to acknowledge and celebrate Native American culture. The Native American Student Center brought native representation to campus with a traditional tipi raising on the Tower Lawn, and an informative keynote address from a local indigenous media personality who shed light on the challenges and joys of being indigenous today.
Moscow became the first city in Idaho to recognize Indigenous People’s Day in place of Columbus Day in 2017. In 2019 the State of Idaho followed suit and officially recognized it as a holiday. This holiday seeks to honor the history, culture and ongoing contributions of Native American people rather than the legacy of colonization and violence left by Christopher Columbus.
The tipi raising demonstration took place at noon on Monday, and a crowd gathered to watch members of the NASC work together to raise the tipi. The demonstration was followed by a traditional song from the drum group, Vandal Nation, and the tipi remained standing as a symbol of Native American culture and a celebration of Indigenous People’s Day for the remainder of the day.
Later that evening, UI students, faculty and many Moscow community members gathered at the Pitman Center Ballroom to hear from Daniel Spaulding, this year’s keynote speaker. The event began with an introduction and welcome from the NASC Program Coordinator Dakota Kidder. Kidder emphasized the importance of Indigenous People’s Day and how media representation like that of Daniel Spaulding is making a difference in the Native American community.
“As Indigenous people we are trying to move away from the stereotypical depictions and instead making sure we’re heard and seen, we as a community are reclaiming our identity,” Kidder said.
The audience was then treated to a performance by the Vandal Nation drum group, the thundering drums and voices chanting in unison filled the room in a demonstration of one aspect of traditional Indigenous culture.
Spaulding was then welcomed onto the stage to give his address regarding his experience as an Indigenous Person in the media, and how mainstream media representation affects Native people. Spaulding is a Nez Perce Tribe Member and UI alum who got his start in radio at KUOI, the student radio station here on campus, and has gone on to become a staff member at KIYE 88.7 FM tribal radio station.
He is the host and producer of “The Conversation” radio show, where he interviews prominent native people and discusses their experiences. Spaulding is also a host of the “Brown Sound” podcast which explores and amplifies Native and Latinx voices.
Spaulding told his story of growing up on a reservation and his journey to fame as a local media person. He emphasized the importance of seeing yourself in the mainstream media as a young person, and why he is working so hard to bring native representation to the world of radio and podcasts.
“Growing up I never saw any positive representation for myself,” Spaulding said. “The next generation will be able to grow up seeing themselves in the media like we didn’t get to.”
On his talk show and podcast, Spaulding has interviewed many Native people who are making differences across the country and globally – he seeks to shed light on the many positive contributions of Indigenous People which have traditionally been overlooked by mainstream media.
“I wanted to create a program that would amplify and uplift indigenous voices,” Spaulding said.
When looking towards future generations, Spaulding hopes Native American young people will continue speaking up for themselves and sharing their truths, making a space for themselves in the media so that the world can hear their stories.
“Be loud and proud. Stay truthful to yourself. And if it ruffles feathers, good, sometimes the truth is uncomfortable,” Spaulding said.
Spaulding explained that non-indigenous people need to take the time to listen to native voices and understand their perspectives, allowing them a space in media that has never been granted before.
“The best way for non-indigenous people to support us in the media it to give us that platform, pass the microphone and let us speak for ourselves,” Spaulding said.
He concluded the address by encouraging the audience to seek out and support Indigenous media platforms and continue to celebrate the amazing achievements of Native people in the U.S and in Idaho. His podcast ‘Brown Sound’ can be found here to hear more from Spaulding, and more information about the NASC to learn about upcoming events and celebrations can be found here.
“We’re here, we’ve always been here, and we’re going to keep speaking for ourselves and the things that are important to us,” Spaulding said.
Grace Giger can be reached at [email protected]