SGC-MMC to discuss holiday name proposal

SGC-MMC members will decide the fate of a resolution to have the University recognize Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s Day.

Because SGA doesn’t have open debates, the student-elected senators serving on SGC-MMC will be discussing the resolution with input from students should a question arise.

The name change would only be symbolic; Columbus Day is a state and federally-recognized holiday. SGC-MMC’s decision would only affect the title of the holiday on campus.

According to Wendolynne Perez, president of the Global Indigenous Group, to change the name on campus would be a beacon to other universities and organizations.

“FIU would be the only university in the state of Florida to pass this,” said Perez. “If FIU gets this passed, our local community can see that there have already been steps taken to recognize the indigenous communities nearby.”

Dennis Wiedman, director of the Global Indigenous Group and associate professor of the department of global and sociocultural studies believes that FIU is most likely to welcome the change in holiday because “when it comes to representing its students, FIU is pretty good with honoring that code.”

“That [change in holiday] is a well-needed thing. Columbus Day has been celebrated for a long time by Americans and it’s become stereotyped in a way that is almost derogatory of the Indigenous Peoples, who were the original peoples of this land and so Native peoples are generally offended by that holiday.”

For Columbus Day to successfully be changed to Indigenous People’s Day, however, Wiedman believes the FIU community should try to attend all discussions and become a participant every step of the way as they fight for their justice.

“We are trying to make the correction of changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day here at FIU because being an international university, it is crucial for them to honor people of all diverse backgrounds. Columbus is a symbol of domination and colonialism for people around the world, especially the Americans who are self-Central American,” says Wiedman.

The Global Indigenous Group has been campaigning to gain support for the resolution to pass.

“We started [collecting signatures] less than a month ago, and we’ve reached over 700 signatures now,” said Perez. “We’ve had professors support us, we’ve had discussions in classes.”

One of the discussions that was hosted by the organization was led by visitor services and development manager of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum Carrie Dilley, and focused on the “Chickee,” or the traditional houses of the Seminole Tribe during the early 1800s.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida defines the word Chickee as a synonym for the word “house.”

“Dilley is an architectural historian who has worked for the [Seminole] tribe for many years and so she has documented the use of their homes, their traditional homes which is Chickee made from poles and dead roots after the Seminole Indian wars that occurred during the 1800s,” said Wiedman.

During the presentation, Dilley discussed the traditional homes that were created by the Seminole tribe of Florida during the aftermath of the Seminole Indian wars of the 1800’s. She also discussed the change that transpired from living in these facilities to there being many kinds of uses associated with their modern homes.

“Seminole Chickees are fantastic form of indigenous architecture and I’m hoping that more people will understand what they are. They are very distinct and very deliberate forms of dwelling,” said Dilley. “Also, Chickee building is a business and I hope that more people, when they decide they want a turf hut in their backyard, that they go with a Native company and not one that is not quite as knowledgeable in the structures of the Chickees.”

According to Perez, educational forums like these are the basis to creating a space for understanding between parties.

The Senate meeting will be held today at 4 p.m. in GC 150. Although there will be no open debate, the meeting is open to the public.

Additional reporting by Cayla Bush