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A Letter on Indigenous Peoples’ Day

October 9, 2017

We at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, with our office in the United States, rejoice that an increasing number of people in this country have been converted from calling this “Columbus Day” to “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.”
Those of us whose ancestors were, whether by choice or not, a part of a colonizing tradition need, especially on this day, to express our deepest apologies to what the colonists have done (and are doing) to Indigenous Peoples across the globe.
Moreover, all of us need to recognize how much poorer we are for not appreciating the kinds of wisdom that are a part of diverse indigenous traditions.
Finally, many of us now want to change in at least two ways: first, to do everything we can to stop the abuse of Indigenous Peoples, their land, their traditions, their wisdom, and their practices; and second, to open our minds and souls to what Indigenous Peoples have to teach us.
From the Staff of the Parliament of the World’s Religions