Indigenous Peoples' Day

Wow, the subject of my last post really threw me for a loop.  It's been hard to get back to it.

Which means I'm not sure where I am on the landscape as I "walk" from Tucson to NYC, although I'm somewhere between Carrizozo and Corona, New Mexico (that last location is a little on the nose).

Today, though, I want to acknowledge the Native lands I've passed through along the way to get "here."  My friend E suggested I do this a while ago as I research the locations I "walk" through, and today seemed like a good day to start.  Partly because today, for the first time, Arizona is recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day.  I hope it won't be the last.

If you haven't found it already, Native Lands is a website that allows you to search locations throughout the world to learn more about the Native peoples who once lived or continue to live there.  The disclaimer states that the map does not represent or intend to represent official or legal boundaries of any Indigenous nations, and recommends that to learn about definitive boundaries, people should contact the nations in question.  Also, the map is not perfect, but rather a work in progress incorporating contributions from the community.

Splash page of Native Lands

With that in mind, here are the lands I've crossed between Tucson and Carrizozo as I head east:

O’odham

Tohono O’odham (Papago)

Sobaipuri

Hohokam

Chiricahua Apache

Western Apache

Pescado

Tampachoa (Mansos)

Mescalero Apache

I encourage us all to spend some time learning more about the people who were here before us.  Not just on Indigenous Peoples' Day, but every day if we can.

I hope everyone is okay.