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Indigenous Peoples Day Is Happening Now In DTLA. Here's How The City Is Celebrating
Los Angeles marks its first Indeigenous Peoples Day at City Hall on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. (Alyssa Jeong Perry/LAist)
Today marks the first Indigenous People's Day to be recognized as an official city holiday in Los Angeles, replacing the long-problematic Columbus Day.
The L.A. City Council voted last August to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People's Day as a city holiday about two years after Councilman Mitch O'Farrell introduced the motion.
Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! How are you celebrating Native American people, their history and their culture today? pic.twitter.com/wmJWNRbfuH
— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) October 8, 2018
The county and city of L.A. have teamed up to throw the inaugural celebration, which kicked off at 7 a.m. and runs to 7 p.m. at both City Hall and Grand Park. The festivities include a 5K run, parade of nations, Native American powwow, fashion show, and a performance by Native American rock group Redbone and the Black Eyed Peas to close out the evening.
From left, Nathan Núñez, Emma Núñez and Kevin Núñez of the Gabrieleno Tongva San Gabriel band of Mission Indians came to downtown L.A. to take part in the city's inaugural Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. (Alyssa Jeong Perry/LAist)
RELATED STORY: A Brief History Of L.A.'s Indigenous Tongva People
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Rudy Ortega Jr. of LA Indian Commission blesses the inaugural indigenous people day in LA (this is Tongva land). @kpcc @LAist pic.twitter.com/pV5oGptrvb
— Alyssa Jeong Perry (@alyssajperry) October 8, 2018
Procession of nations has started now at the main stage in front of LA city hall.@LAist @kpcc pic.twitter.com/c3PtN0ohrl
— Alyssa Jeong Perry (@alyssajperry) October 8, 2018
By noon Monday, the festivities were ramping up, with hundreds of people filling Grand Park with dancing and drum circles.
Drumming is the heartbeat of the day #IndigeniousPeoplesDay @LAist @kpcc pic.twitter.com/MDn1U9Qy9A
— Alyssa Jeong Perry (@alyssajperry) October 8, 2018
grand park is filled with dancing and drum circles now @kpcc @LAist #IndigenousPeopleDay2018 pic.twitter.com/VmovKyeLNg
— Alyssa Jeong Perry (@alyssajperry) October 8, 2018
Please share! The schedule of activities for #IndigenousPeoplesDay2018!#NativeAmerican #IPD2018 #IPDLA2018 #IndigenousPeoplesDay pic.twitter.com/TyandeUmVm
— Mitch O'Farrell (@MitchOFarrell) October 4, 2018
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We'll have more to add as the festivities continue today.
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