Dominican Observed Indigenous Peoples’ Day With Campus Ceremony

Indigenous Peoples’ Day was celebrated at Dominican University of California October 10 with a ceremony from 4-6 p.m. on Anne Hathaway Lawn on Dominican's campus in San Rafael.

The second annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event at Dominican was in partnership with the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin and larger indigenous community groups - the Indigenous Healing Center, Marin Indian Alliance, Museum of the American India, and Alliance for Felix Cove.

Representatives from these local organizations were present to share their indigenous community strengthening work. In addition, there was drumming, live music and storytelling by the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin and other members of the Indigenous community.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. On October 8 of last year, U.S. President Joe Biden became the first U.S. President to formally recognize the holiday by signing a presidential proclamation. The national holiday is celebrated across the country on the second Monday in October. 

All were welcome and invited to attend the celebration at Dominican honoring the campus’ unceded land Awanewis, the people of the land in the Coast Miwok, and Indigenous Peoples from all lands. Attendees were encouraged to embrace the songs, storytelling, language learning, dancing, music, and complexities of modern indigeneity while also learning about the resilience of Marin Indigenous community organizations to heal, educate, and continue tradition to strengthen our various lands’ first peoples.

For more information, contact University archivist Louis Knecht at louis.knecht@dominican.edu or call (415) 458-3728

Photo from behind stage of Indigenous Peoples’ Day ceremony at Dominican in October 2022 on Anne Hathaway Lawn.