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Indigenous People's Day Monday, October 13th
Posted Date: 10/10/25 (3:35 PM)
Monday, October 13th, is Indigenous People's Day. This year marks the first time Indigenous Peoples' Day is recognized on our school calendar. There will be no school to observe this important day.
Albany High School is located in the homeland of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation. The people of Lisjan Nation have been here for millenia. They never ceded, sold or left their homeland. They are here today, living in their sovereignty, despite attempted genocide and ongoing colonization. Lisjan Nation people are speaking their Chochenyo language, rematriating their land (rematriation: restoring Indigenous lands to Indigenous hands), cultivating their foods and medicine and doing ceremony. On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the Lisjan Nation, past and present, and all Indigenous people including Indigenous members of our school community. If we are not Indigenous to this place, we also think about what it means to live as good guests on Lisjan Nation lands and move in that direction. Here are some suggestions for how you might learn, reflect and take action:
Albany High School is located in the homeland of the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation. The people of Lisjan Nation have been here for millenia. They never ceded, sold or left their homeland. They are here today, living in their sovereignty, despite attempted genocide and ongoing colonization. Lisjan Nation people are speaking their Chochenyo language, rematriating their land (rematriation: restoring Indigenous lands to Indigenous hands), cultivating their foods and medicine and doing ceremony. On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the Lisjan Nation, past and present, and all Indigenous people including Indigenous members of our school community. If we are not Indigenous to this place, we also think about what it means to live as good guests on Lisjan Nation lands and move in that direction. Here are some suggestions for how you might learn, reflect and take action:
- Give Shuumi, a financial contribution that non-Indigenous people living in Lisjan Nation territory can make to support Indigenous sovereignty work.
- Learn about Sogorea Te' Land Trust, an urban, Indigenous, women-led land trust that supports Indigenous sovereignty work in Lisjan Nation territory
- Learn about the sacred West Berkeley Shellmound, which was returned to Lisjan Nation stewardship in 2024.
- Watch the short film "Beyond Recognition" (25 min.).
- Watch “Colonization, Decolonization, and Rematriation on Ohlone Land”, a talk by Corrina Gould, Tribal Chair and Spokesperson for the Confederated Villages of Lisjan Nation.
- Watch the "Landback" music video featuring Lisjan Nation members and Chochenyo language.
- Visit the exhibition "Iweš-‘iweš kečkeyma: One Hundred Women" in Oakland, about the Indigenous women and girls taken into California missions, which is open through Mon. 10/13.
- Visit the murals around the East Bay depicting Indigenous life.
- Attend the 33rd annual Indigenous Peoples' Day Pow Wow in Berkeley on Sat. 10/11 from 10-6.
- Hike on Albany Hill and make note of the native plants there (follow the signs).
- Walk along Cerrito Creek, which runs alongside Albany High, and see how much of it you can find above and below ground.
- Chalk a sidewalk or make a window sign honoring Lisjan Nation ("This is Lisjan Nation land", "Give Shuumi", "Land back").
- Talk with your family about where your people are from originally, and the journeys that brought you to live on Lisjan Nation land.
- Join a solidarity group like Good Guest Kensington or Jews on Ohlone Land.