Indigenous artists present a ritual at the launch party of Indigenous People's Day celebrations at the Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. Indigenous people from Phoenix and surrounding areas in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona showcased their dance performances, traditional customs, arts and food culture at the Phoenix Art Museum Wednesday night, as the Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations kicked off. (Photo by Xuguang Sui/Xinhua)
PHOENIX, the United States, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Indigenous people from Phoenix and surrounding areas in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona showcased their dance performances, traditional customs, arts and food culture at the Phoenix Art Museum Wednesday night, as the Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations kicked off.
The launch party and other events, including the indigenous film screenings on Saturday, are part of this year's Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations in the capital city of the state.
Indigenous Peoples' Day is established to celebrate the history and culture of Native Americans, acknowledge the losses they have experienced, and honor the contributions they continue to make to the American society. In 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a proclamation officially commemorating the holiday.
In April of this year, Kate Gallego, mayor of Phoenix, and the Phoenix City Council voted to designate the second Monday in October as a city holiday to commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day. As part of a resolution approved by the Phoenix mayor and City Council, Indigenous Peoples' Day becomes a city holiday starting this year.
Organizers of the celebrations said in a statement last month that they hope this year's festival theme, "Indigenize the Valley," will catch on to other metropolitan areas and increase the awareness of Indigenous contributions and ingenuity prior to Arizona's statehood, since time immemorial.
Nubia Guzman, an indigenous handcraft artist born in Mexico, a local small business owner and former art teacher, taught visitors how to make traditional handcrafted jewelries for free at the launch party, and the participants could keep their finished products, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, as gifts.
Guzman told Xinhua that she was excited when she was invited by the organizer to display her art work in the opening ceremony of the Indigenous People's Day. The traditional handmade crafts she brought were popular, which made her very happy.
She noted that the indigenous residents have been fully integrated into the society and the indigenous culture has become part of U.S. culture. ■
An indigenous artist works on her painting at the launch party of Indigenous People's Day celebrations at the Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. Indigenous people from Phoenix and surrounding areas in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona showcased their dance performances, traditional customs, arts and food culture at the Phoenix Art Museum Wednesday night, as the Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations kicked off. (Photo by Xuguang Sui/Xinhua)
Indigenous artists play traditional musical instruments at the launch party of Indigenous People's Day celebrations at the Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. Indigenous people from Phoenix and surrounding areas in the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona showcased their dance performances, traditional customs, arts and food culture at the Phoenix Art Museum Wednesday night, as the Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrations kicked off. (Photo by Xuguang Sui/Xinhua)