|
careers
La Raza honors
native heritage
By Elizabeth Barragan
On-line Forty-Niner
Columbus Day had
a different meaning at Cal State Long Beach on Monday. La
Raza Student Association, along with the American Indian Student
Council, held the first "Honoring Our Ancestors."
The purpose of
the event was to recognize the indigenous heritage of many
of the people on campus, according to La Raza President Jorge
Reyes.
"It is necessary
to have an event that recognized all those millions of people
who were victims of the so-called discovery of the 'New World,'"
Reyes said. "It's an event to let people know what happened,
so that they understand that there are many truths that need
to be known."
The event consisted
of dancers and drum performers from the Mazaclhuatl and Huehueteotl
group that includes CSULB students.
AISC President
Eileen Cruz, who is a descendant of the Shumash Nation, located
in California, urges everyone to think about Columbus Day
in a different way.
"Everyone remembers
Columbus Day, but not everyone remembers what happened after."
Cruz said. "We must let everyone know that we are still here
and still alive."
The event brought
out more than 300 students throughout the day, some of which
participated in the dancing.
Linda Riefe, a
senior and Spanish major, joined in on the dancing then enjoyed
the rest of the celebration.
"At first I was
not sure why they were here," Reife said, "But I think it
is a great way to expose one's culture, religion and background."
Speakers and lecturers
addressing the Columbus Day celebration followed the dancing.
Larry Smith, a
graduate and lecturer of American urban studies and a member
of the AISC, was part of the organizing committee. He said
he wanted to make sure they were heard.
"We need to re-contextualize
Columbus Day," Smith said, "The modern day celebration model
of society, celebrating Columbus Day is not realistic. Six
to 800 million indigenous people have died in the Western
hemisphere since Columbus first arrived."
The event was also
a way to remind students that CSULB was built on an Indian
cemetery.
"Long Beach State
was built on a Puvungna Tongva Village," Cruz said. "The Foundation
wanted to build a strip mall on the grounds but through protest
we were able to save that area."
The dancing consisted
of warrior and prayer dances and the singing was to pray for
those who have died for their culture and religion. La Raza
and AISC hope that this event will also give those students
of Native American and Indigenous descent something to think
about.
"The point is to
tell those stories about our people that are left out of history
books," Reyes said, "and also to understand that there are
still many indigenous people who continue to practice old
customs in North America and in Mexico as well as farther
south."
|
