HADLEY — For several weeks this fall, Hopkins Academy students have completed extensive studies into the Indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere and the origins of Christopher Columbus celebrations.
On Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Hadley Public Library, an oral presentation led by these students, and displays featuring their research, will be part of an hour-long event titled “First Nations.”
The project is a partnership between the Hadley Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and students in history classes taught by Jason Burns, a social studies and head teacher at Hopkins. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.
“We will be having displays on Indigenous peoples about their lives and their existence here,” said Shivani Parmar, a 10th grader at Hopkins. “We will show how they have shaped the culture of the United States.”
Some of their work focuses on local tribes, such as the Nipmuc and Wampanoag, but they also studied how native people had contacts and interactions with Columbus, using excerpts from his journal.
“The Indigenous peoples were spread across the Americas,” said Cassidy Fyden, also a 10th grader. “We will talk about what can be done to help Indigenous peoples.”
Burns said the focus of the oral presentation is on the holiday.
“The main appeal is to hear about the origins of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day,” Burns said.
Their research uncovered the importance honoring the explorer has had for Italian-Americans. “It was surprising to learn about Italians’ role in Columbus Day and how it came about,” Parmar said.
Fyden said she didn’t know that the federal holiday has existed for less than a century. “I was shocked about the history of Columbus Day and how it is a relatively recent phenomenon,” Fyden said.
While other area communities have taken action to replace Columbus Day, often by redesignating it as Indigenous People’s Day, Burns said the “First Nations” event is meant to be civic minded and informative.
Still, Burns said some students in his classes might be interested in making an appeal to the School Committee at some point to ask its members to consider changing the school calendar so that Hadley public schools can recognize Indigenous People’s Day.
