LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — Indigenous students at the University of Nebraska gathered to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day with a traditional pow wow, reclaiming a holiday they say honors their heritage rather than Columbus Day.
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
The celebration was organized by UNITE — University of Nebraska Intertribal Exchange — an organization that promotes academic success for Indigenous students. The pow wow represented tribal nations across the Midwest including Winnebago Ho-Chunk, Omaha, and several Sioux nations.
"I love pow wows, I grew up going to pow wows," said UNL senior, Kylie Olson, president of UNITE. "Pow wows are our biggest form of celebration, they bring community together, they bring laughter, joy."
The students said calling the holiday Columbus Day is hurtful and provides reason for celebrating the date as Indigenous Peoples Day instead. President Trump recently signed a proclamation declaring the holiday Columbus Day, which it has historically been.
Allison Levering, from Winnebago, Nebraska, and a student at Haskell Indian Nations University, expressed frustration with the proclamation.
"It felt like they were trying to take away a piece of who we are. They're trying to take away the platform that we've built here in our country representing who we are as a people," Levering said.
"He (Columbus) basically harmed our people and our way of life and he set back our way of living," said Olson.
Among the participants was 14-year-old Delia Ice from Lincoln, who represented the Red Sky Pow Wow as Miss Red Sky Nation. Wearing a jingle dress — which she also calls a medicine dress — Ice thinks of her late grandfather when she dances.
"I dance for the people who can't dance or are sick or who aren't here with us," she said.
Her grandfather gave her the Indigenous name White Owl Woman.
"That's where I get all my teachings from and my learnings from," Ice said about the importance of grandparents in Indigenous culture.
For Olson, wearing traditional clothing represents more than celebration.
"I feel the most beautiful personally when I'm in traditional clothing and it's just a way to reclaim your identity as an indigenous woman," Olson said.
UNITE is planning another pow wow in the spring.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
