‘Indigenous People’s Day’ celebrates excellence, joy

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — On Indigenous Peoples Day, communities across the country celebrate culture, resilience, and survival. In Portland, the Future Generations Collaborative (FGC) honored the day by feeding hundreds — and uplifting stories that go far beyond the holiday.

For many Indigenous families, it is a day of continuing traditions that once faced erasure. Nearly four years after Oregon adopted the holiday in 2021, FGC hosted its annual celebration —sharing a message of resilience in a country still reckoning with its past.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day to me means visibility in the face of ongoing colonization and genocide,” said Polimana Joshevama, Research and Evaluation Mode Lead for FGC.

The smell of salmon and smoke filled the air at Barbie’s Village in Northeast Portland as the nonprofit prepared to feed nearly 600 people for the celebration.

“It’s celebrating Indigenous excellence and Indigenous joy,” added Education Mode Lead Chenoa Landry.

Inside, the new startup “Wota Kitchen” prepared a traditional meal of wild rice with mushrooms, mixed berry salad, and sliced fruit —with love as the secret ingredient.

“Compared to when it was called ‘Columbus Day,’ it just felt more like recognition — more empowering,” said Wota Kitchen chef Wyatt Miner. “A big staple of our culture is making sure the food is nourishing not just for the body, but the soul as well.”

Indigenous vendors from tribes across the nation gathered as families shared stories, songs, and dance.
In line with FGC’s mission to promote healthy pregnancies and address inequities experienced by Native communities, raffle prizes helped raise funds to uplift those in need.

“How can you be homeless on your own homeland?” asked Joshevama.

In the spirit of the organization’s founder, Joshevama said proceeds would go toward its mission to purchase additional tiny homes for Indigenous families affected by the housing crisis.

“We were focusing on families — especially because we believe in our future generations and our children,” Joshevama said. “We hoped that they could have a more stable environment to be in.”

The celebration came after President Trump issued a proclamation to reclaim Columbus Day and his legacy from what he called “left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory.”

“I think it’s all a part of the Project 2025 agenda and the impending rise of fascism that we’re seeing in this nation,” Joshevama said. “For indigenous peoples, you know, we’ve been through this before, and we’ll get through it again. We know that’s Indigenous Peoples Day, and that’s what really matters to us.”

Members said the day was as much about uplifting future generations as recognizing their ancestors’ trauma and resilience.

Landry told KOIN 6 News she is on a journey to relearn her native language and customs her parents were forced to forget.

“A lot of us are reclaiming not just our languages, but our ways of thinking and our traditional knowledge,” Landry said. “We are celebrating our survival because it promotes healing and wellness.”

Against the backdrop of the Trump Administration’s crackdown on immigration enforcement, Landry said she is thinking about all people native to this land.

“I was praying for our relatives who are experiencing some of the worst kinds of trauma and hurt,” she said.
“At one time, our trade routes existed all over this continent, from north to south. This was all one land —so I’m keeping all of our people in our prayers.”

Supporters can find ways to donate to FGC’s efforts to increase access to health and housing at the organization’s website.