By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
There was standing room only in the UAS-Sitka auditorium Monday night when U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola stepped up to the podium to give the keynote address for Sitka’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration.
Peltola, who is Yup’ik, emphasized the importance of embracing Indigenous people and their heritage as communities seek to find a path forward.
“It is also very special to really acknowledge and embrace being Native. And it’s nice to have this one day where I don’t have to minimize that,” Peltola said to an enthusiastic audience. “There has been such an attempt in our American history to assimilate us and in some cases to erase us,” she said. “And I see some of those elements still there and I really want to make sure that I am not ever part of that movement to erase us or our presence. Because we are also part of this universe.”
Originally from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Peltola is the first Alaska Native elected to the U.S. Congress, winning the August special election to represent Alaska until the winner of the November election is seated. Peltola, a Democrat, replaces Republican Rep. Don Young, who died in office.
Prior to her election to federal office, Peltola served in the Alaska Legislature and on the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. She is running for reelection in the November 8 general election.
Speaking as a person of mixed heritages, Alaska’s sole U.S. House representative encouraged Alaskans to work together for common goals.
“We’re a diverse people with a common future. And I think it’s so important that we don’t accentuate our differences, and that we look for the commonality among us all – and I work every day to do that and give that message,” she said. “And I am Yup’ik, but I’m also German-American – my dad is from Nebraska. And I say that a lot, because it means a lot to me. That is also half of who I am, and the universal values from farming people are very, very similar to the values that I grew up with on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.”
Speaking in terms of policy, she emphasized the importance she places on healthcare and other public services.
“My priorities are to ensure that we all have broadband, healthcare and subsistence access, quality housing, education and job opportunities and public safety officers, flush toilets and clean water – to make sure we have everything we need to maintain our way of life and ensure we can pass down our practices from this generation to future generations,” she said.
During the short time she has been in Congress, Peltola has advanced bills on topics from domestic violence prevention and expanding WIC eligibility to food for infants, to medical care for rural veterans.
In Alaska, the second Monday of October has been celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 2017, with observances organized by Sitka Tribe of Alaska, the University of Alaska and the City of Sitka. The theme this year is “Has Du Ítx Yaa Ntoo.át Haa Shuká Aa Hás” (“Our Journey Forward”). Prior to Peltola’s speech, hundreds of Sitkans attended a potluck dinner and artists market on the UAS campus. After the speech there were breakout sessions on particular subjects. Tlingit songs and dances performed by the Noow Tlein dancers were also part of the celebration.
The second Monday in October for many years has been observed as Columbus Day, a federal holiday commemorating the date in 1492 that the Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean. For the violence and destruction he brought upon Indigenous people, Columbus’ legacy was contested in the 15th and 16th centuries and remains so today. The day was first commemorated as a federal holiday in 1892, the Library of Congress website states.
Peltola talked about the significance of that in this country’s cultural heritage.
“As we consider today’s celebration, I’d like to first think back to the origin of today’s competitor, the holiday of Columbus Day,” she said. “As some of you know, Columbus Day began not out of a sense of patriotism or an American exceptionalism, but rather out of a desire for belonging. At that time, Italian immigrants were highly discriminated against. And following an unfortunate history, a trend in our history, those newly accepted, eager-to-fit-in Americans were often marginalized. In response, many Italian Americans banded together and lobbied for greater public inclusivity. Through Columbus, they sought freedom from daily inequities they experienced, and like many of us, they wanted to realize the opportunities and social advancement our country has to offer.
“That is why as we consider this year’s theme, ‘Our Journey Forward,’ I think it is wise that we do not forget the origins of Columbus Day - not to elevate the wayward explorer – but out of empathy for those who sought relief by invoking him and his journey. As Indigenous people, we know a thing or two about inequity and the importance of community.”
For her part, Peltola hoped Alaskans would not let past harms prevent future success.
“Marginalization of some comes at the expense of the dignity of all,” she said. “As we move forward, we must remember this. As we celebrate today, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we remember to stay true to ourselves in our cultures, to not let any bitterness from our past negatively impact our future.”
Alaska’s Native people have much to be proud of, such as “the burgeoning success of our language revitalization efforts.”
“I was so happy to hear so much Tlingit spoken today!,” she said. “It makes my heart very happy. Our world class tribal healthcare system, our thriving Alaska Native corporations.”
Looking ahead, Peltola stressed the need for collective action to ensure a prosperous future.
“Collectively we can build upon these successes, we can ensure that our lands remain rich, abundant and prosperous, our communities safe, accessible and welcoming, and our homes healthy and supported. This isn’t rhetoric. This is a collective calling and calling I know all of us feel to support our community’s development and fully participate in our collective advancement.”
