Tribal leaders are making their presence known at the Minnesota Legislature with multiple bills working to right what some call historical wrongs.

One bill looks to eliminate Columbus Day in schools and as a state holiday and establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day in its place. House File 211, authored by District 4A Rep. Heather Keeler, the bill made its way to the House State and Local Government Finance and Policy Committee on Tuesday.

Those testifying in favor of the bill focused on the historical significance of Native people in Minnesota and why it should be recognized in schools.

“We need to celebrate Native peoples’ identity, our culture, our strength,” said Red Lake Tribal Secretary Samuel Strong at the committee meeting. “We need to celebrate who we are and teach those around us how to honor us, to understand our history, and most importantly, how we can move forward past these traumas and how we can start to heal these communities that it would be harmed so much.”

The bill would require one hour of schooling to be dedicated to the observance of this day.

By — Lakeland News