The City of Tempe will celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on Oct. 9 this year as a paid City of Tempe holiday. The Tempe City Council approved the holiday at its Sept. 7 Regular Council Meeting. Phoenix, Minneapolis, Denver and many other cities already recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the rich cultural heritage, history, and contributions of Native American and Indigenous communities. By adopting Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the City of Tempe is demonstrating its commitment to being a more inclusive and culturally diverse community.
“I got choked up the moment that Mayor Woods announced that this resolution passed 7-0,” said Councilmember Doreen Garlid, who also serves on the Local Indigenous Leaders committee for the National League of Cities. “I am so thankful to our council and staff for creating and approving Indigenous Peoples Day as a city holiday. This is one more step that we have taken to show our commitment that Tempe’s Land Acknowledgement Resolution would be more than just words.”
Tempe passed its Native American Land Acknowledgement Resolution unanimously in 2021.
Anthropological studies document large and advanced Ancestral O’Odham settlements located throughout the entirety of present-day Tempe. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and Gila River Indian Community neighbor Tempe to the northeast and south, respectively.
Read the Land Acknowledgment Resolution
Photo courtesy Downtown Tempe.
