Comment in support of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Montana

2017/2/24 | Montana: Lewis and Clark Co.

Comment in support of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Montana

By Matt Barnes

I traveled to the Montana state capitol with my friend Marsha Small (Northern Cheyenne, with the Native American Studies department at Montana State University) and a group from Indigenous Peoples Day Montana to testify in support of designating Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the day more commonly known as Columbus Day. Thanks to the folks at Indigenous Peoples’ Day Montana, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is already celebrated at Montana State University and in Bozeman, but not yet statewide. The group states that the holiday is not only for Native Americans, but indigenous peoples everywhere. I support that. I also note that while my genes and culture came from northwestern Europe, my home continent is very much here in North America. Here’s my brief public comment.

Mr. Chair and members of the committee:

My name is Matthew Barnes. I live in Bozeman.

I grew up not knowing any Native Americans, or learning anything about them in school.  I didn't learn about Native Americans until college, and didn't actually know any as real people until I worked on several Indian reservations for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. I do recall learning something about three ships.

I'm proud of my family's Celtic and Germanic roots, and I'm proud of my ancestors’ pioneering spirit as immigrants to what was to them an unknown continent.

Establishing Indigenous Peoples Day is an important step in healing a great wound in the collective consciousness of our nation. As it is for indigenous peoples everywhere.

And in my opinion, it can also be about moving forward: all of us becoming native to this land. We'll know we've become native when we recognize that we're part of this land, not separate from it; and when we know it to be part of us, not a static backdrop for the human drama.

Our culture will become native when the majority of its adult individuals do, and that is one of the great tasks of education. By learning to embrace our own wildness and inigeneity, we will promote healing within our selves and communities. And that is a heritage we can pass on to future generations.

Thank you.