Indian Day in the world: why is it celebrated on August 9th?

Did you know that August 9th is celebrated as Indian Day all over the world? Come and discover a little about the history of this date.

As you may already know, there are hundreds of special dates that are celebrated throughout the year.

But it turns out that some of these dates end up not receiving as much attention from the general public when compared to big dates, such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, Independence Day and so on.

Of course, since they are not holidays, the vast majority may end up slipping through the cracks on our calendar.

And it is about one of these dates – which has just passed – that we are going to talk about in today’s content.

We are talking about Indian Day, a date that is celebrated on the same day worldwide.

But after all, when is Indian Day celebrated around the world? What is the origin of the date and why is it celebrated?

What is the origin of Indian Day in the world?

Do you remember when Indian Day was celebrated when you were at school? You've probably already done some school activity to celebrate this date.

But do you know what the origin of Indian Day is in the world?

Created in 1995 by the United Nations (UN), Indigenous Peoples' Day – which today is better known as the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples – was created as a way to recognize the importance of these peoples for all countries around the world.

On what day is Indian Day celebrated around the world?

Remember when we said that Indian Day has already passed? That's because the date is celebrated worldwide on August 9th. 

In other words, the day was celebrated last Tuesday.

But this is worldwide speaking.

Here in Brazil – throughout South America – indigenous culture is so present and important to our history that the indigenous people have gained another date, which this time is celebrated.

This date is celebrated on April 19th across the continent, celebrating all the indigenous heritage that exists in the countries here in South America.

Why was August 9th chosen to be the Day of the Indian in the world?

Although the vast majority of dates that celebrate something specific have some kind of relationship with the chosen date, not all cases are like this.

And, by all indications, Indian Day in the world is one of those dates.

As we already mentioned, the date became part of the world calendar in 1995. But as far as we know, there is no specific reason behind the choice of the date.

The importance of Indian Day in the world

Now that we've talked about the date itself, it's time to get into an essential topic: the importance of Indian Day in the world.

First of all, it is important to emphasize that a day dedicated to honoring indigenous peoples is more than essential. And you will learn more about why.

To begin with, we have to talk about the neglect that these people suffer around the world.

In many countries, indigenous peoples are not assisted by policies responsible for their basic rights.

According to UN data, the indigenous population in the world is currently estimated at around 370 million people.

This number represents something around 5% of the entire world population. 

However – according to data from the United Nations itself – these indigenous peoples stand out for making up around a third of the poorest population in the world.

And this whole issue ends up reflecting on a series of points, making the indigenous population more exposed to a series of problems.

Among them are: diseases, discrimination – for being considered minorities – persecution, conflicts involving territorial issues and even low life expectancy.

It is precisely for these reasons – and many others – that indigenous peoples around the world not only deserve a day dedicated to extolling their struggles, but also deserve to have their importance to the history of humanity duly legitimized.

The controversies surrounding the celebrations of this day

And since we are talking about a date that honors several peoples who were so important to practically all societies we know, we think it is necessary to address a very important topic: the way this date is celebrated.

It is always good to remember that indigenous culture – and all other cultures that are part of the history of humanity – cannot and should not be treated as fantasies.

For a long period of time, indigenous culture was treated as a kind of fantasy. 

By the way, do you remember when we talked about celebrating Indian Day at school?

For years, the date was marked by taking photos where students wore elements that refer to indigenous culture, such as face paint and feather headdresses, for example.

Even though many people may still think that this type of action is a tribute, it only serves to continue perpetuating the idea that indigenous culture is nothing more than a fantasy. And that is not true!

Both indigenous culture and the most diverse cultures that are part of world history are culturally rich and of extreme importance to their countries.

That's why it's important to know how to treat them with all respect, without empty approaches that, despite being 'disguised' as a tribute, only serve to reinforce stereotypes.

Conclusion 

So, did you enjoy learning a little more about Indigenous Peoples’ Day around the world?

As we can see throughout the text, the date itself does not deserve all the attention it deserves.

After all, regardless of the country, indigenous culture was very important historically and culturally so that countries could get to where they are.

And unfortunately, this culture is not recognized as such and in many countries they are not treated with the importance they deserve. 

Did you like this content? Then take the opportunity to read it too The history of Northeast Brazil: discover 8 interesting facts

Ivan August 10, 2022