Indigenous Peoples’ Day

A stylized blue and white orca, designed in an indigenous art style, is leaping out of the water with its mouth open.

One People

Monday, October 14, 2024

Lummi Nation School
5 p.m.

The theme of this year’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day is One People. This year’s event is about healing and unity. “Netse Mot,” or “One heart, one mind,” reflects our commitment to shared humanity and values of gratitude, generosity, and respect in a divided world. Let us reflect on our commitment to come together as a unified community to defeat political unrest, cultural differences, war, and climate change. Join us on Indigenous Peoples’ Day as one people. 

The original intention of Indigenous Peoples’ Day was to acknowledge the contributions of the first caretakers of this land. This continues to be true and this year’s event furthers this goal by centering the leadership and knowledge Indigenous people bring forward to address today’s pressing issues. We hope you join in on listening and participating in the dialogue!

Come enjoy a delicious salmon dinner to begin our time together! The Lummi Blackhawk Singers will open the floor for the evening. We will hear from student leaders from the Lummi Nation School and the powerful Ta'Kaiya Blaney, a singer, award-winning actress, speaker, and environmental activist from the Tla A'min Nation in British Columbia. 

For more information on this year's Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration, click here.

This event is free and open to all.

Event Schedule

5:00 p.m. Salmon Dinner

Community vendors & artists

6:00 p.m. Event Program

  • Opening ceremony – Blackhawk Singers and Dancers
  • Welcome – Lummi Nation School Student Leaders
  • Keynote Speaker – Ta’Kaiya Blaney
    • Award winning actress, singer, speaker and environmental activist from the Tla A’min Nation in B.C.
  • Discussion panel featuring Lummi Nation School Leaders
  • Closing ceremony – Blackhawk Singers and Dancers
     

Event Details

Address

Lummi Nation School, 2334 Lummi View Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226

Directions to Lummi Nation School

*Please note that the southbound Slater Road Exit is closed (for our friends coming from the north). If you are traveling from the north, please use navigation to find the best route to Lummi Nation School.

From I-5 and Slater Road (Exit 260)

  1. West on Slater Road for 3.6 miles.
  2. South on Haxton Way for 6.5 miles.
  3. Continue on Lummi View Drive  for 0.9 miles
  4. Northeast on Blackhawk Way for 0.2 miles

Typical Travel Times

  • From Seattle WA: 1 hr. 50 min.
  • From Vancouver BC: 1 hr. 35 min
  • From Bellingham WA: 25 min

Lummi Nation School is fully accessible. For additional accommodations, including interpretation and translation services, contact Chris Roselli in advance of the event.

Acknowledgement

In gathering for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we acknowledge the important history that built what we enjoy today. In 1977, a delegation of Native nations to the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, held in Geneva, proposed (and passed) a resolution to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In 1990, the Berkeley, California city council stood with Native communities and allies by establishing the first Indigenous Peoples’ Day formally acknowledged by a major U.S. city as a counter-protest to the upcoming 1992 quincentennial “celebration” of Christopher Columbus’ landing that was being planned in the Bay Area. In 2013, Whatcom Community College (WCC) organized by students and allies organized the first iteration of Whatcom County’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In 2014, Bellingham City Council member Roxanne Murphy proposed the establishment of Coast Salish Day that was passed unanimously. In 2017 WCC invited Bellingham Technical College, Northwest Indian College, and Western Washington University to co-collaborate in organizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day forming the growing coalition we enjoy today!

Supporting Partners

This event is sponsored by the Community Consortium for Cultural Recognition. Many thanks to the partner organizations who contributed to this celebration.

Bellingham Sea Feast Logo

Whatcom County Health and Community Services Logo

Alaska Gold Seafood Logo
Children of the Setting Sun Productions  Logo
Whatcom Community College Logo
Whatcom Intergenerational High School Logo
Bellingham Public Schools Logo
Pull Together Swinomish, Swinomish Education Logo
Bellingham Technical College Logo
PeaceHealth Logo
City of Bellingham Logo
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Logo
Bellingham Public Library
Western Washington University Logo
Northwest Indian College Logo

Learn more about the Community Consortium for Cultural Recognitions and the events they collaboratively represent.