Happy Summer from Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly, Inc!

Greetings, IPD Philly community!

In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice is the longest day and shortest night of the year, officially starting the astronomical summer. Around the world, various cultures including Indigenous peoples celebrate the summer with festivals, dancing, offering, and rituals. These celebrations often represent a new season of life, new beginnings, and a fresh start. As we spend the summer preparing  for the 8th annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration in Philadelphia, we wish you all a fresh start this summer and hope you support our journey as we have many stories and resources for you to learn from this Summer Newsletter (read here)! 

In this issue, we are featuring stories about the Indigenous peoples of Brazil receiving an apology from the Brazilian government’s Amnesty Commission, and legislative updates to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis in South Dakota. Moreover, we are featuring a story on community care and the cultural significance of braids across Indian Country in remembrance of Cole Brings Plenty (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe).

We also recommend a variety of books featuring Indigenous authors Tommy Orange, Pekka Hämäläinen, and Stacie Shannon Denetsosie who recount the impact of settler colonialism through storytelling that reimagines Indigenous futures–proving cultural perseverance and belonging.

Additionally, we recommend the documentaries “Lakota Nation v. United States”, “End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock”, and “Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting” to learn about and support Indigenous communities and filmmakers which are all available to stream on multiple platforms. Each documentary provides a unique perspective about the world of Indigenous resistance and organizing bringing to light issues that are not covered in mainstream media.

Wanìshi, Ahéhee’, Wado, Wopila, Tlazocamati, Añay, Chaltumay…
IPD Philly – Board & Editors

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NOTE: This publication was established in the Lenape-Unami territory known as Lenapehoking | U.S.A on Indigenous Land