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I was surprised when I stumbled onto this holiday because I had never heard of it before now. In 2009, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been designated as ‘Native American Heritage Day’. This is different than ‘Indigenous People Day’, which celebrates all of the unique Native Americans who exist today. This holiday is supposed to be more for the ancestors.
Not really sure where to go with this post because the more I read about the holiday, the more controversy I found. Native Americans are apparently not happy with the placement because Thanksgiving is a national day of mourning for them. So, it’s seen as horribly insulting, especially since Thanksgiving overshadows it. Doesn’t help that Black Friday is the same day, so people are just running out to maul their fellow Americans for a discount on last year’s television set. The more I read, the more I feel like this holiday was created with absolutely no sense of timing and care.
So, I’m curious about what other people think. Not only about Native American Heritage Day’s placement and how most people don’t know about it. What do people think about when these special holidays are made to honor groups and they clearly didn’t have members of that group involved? Where would you put this holiday if you could move it to another day?
Legends of Windemere 
I didn’t know about it either. I will refrain from weighing in, because any viewpoint seems like a place to start a fight.
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How so?
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I’ve heard of Native American Heritage Month. So I didn’t know there was a specific day.
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Same here. Though I’m not surprised.
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I never heard of it. You are right. Maybe someone should have run it by a Native American.
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Definitely.
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I think the principle is OK, on the face of it, but the Native Americans should have been involved, and asked if they actually want it.
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From what I read, they would have wanted it, but it’s the placement next to Thanksgiving.
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I can see that. Someone didn’t think things through. (A common failing these days.)
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I agree with you, Charles. But I am confused about the Native American Heritage Day and Indigenous Peoples Day. I think the reason is it scheduled for Black Friday is that there were some groups that wanted it to replace Thanksgiving but this was the closest they could come to it!
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Indigenous Peoples Day is October and celebrated on Columbus Day. People want the former to replace the latter. This holiday was to honor without undoing a long-standing holiday, but timing was bad. I don’t think anyone with sense would push for this holiday to replace Thanksgiving. Most groups can’t celebrate it and I’m sure we’d lose the day off from work/school.
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Sound reasoning and thanks for the explanation.
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You’re welcome.
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There are so many “day” events, I’m not even certain of the purpose. They don’t seem to be legitimate holidays, as we think of them. In the case of this one, putting it on Black Friday and on top of an existing Native American observance, that does seem insensitive.
In any case, if the Native community doesn’t support the “day” and prefers the Indigenous day, I support their statements.
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Many of these official days are done to honor groups. They’re mostly lip service aimed at those complaining about inclusion when they aren’t part of the actual group. So, you get holidays that appease them, but piss off those being honored.
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