WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Not a seat was empty in the Council Chambers of Wausau City Hall for the reading of a new proclamation.
At the beginning of the city council meeting on Tuesday night, Mayor Robert Mielke read in a proclamation declaring the second Monday of every October to be Indigenous People’s Day in Wausau. An elder from the Ho-Chunk Nation spoke about the recognition of his people by the city. “Really appreciate your consideration for us, for us here. Really appreciate it very much you know. It’s really to come together, it’s really nice.”
Mayor Mielke explains the idea for the proclamation came from Tricia Zunker, a judge for the Ho-Chunk Nation and member of the Wausau School Board. She came to the city and the Mayor in early October asking if the city would like to officially recognize the day along with the tribe. “She came forward and asked if we would be interested in participating so to speak, which I was all for. It celebrates that diversity that type of thing that we try to include here in the City of Wausau.”
Mielke says that recognizing Indigenous People’s Day is something that is long overdue in Wausau. “It was just one of those things that should have been recognized a long time ago. Recognizing Native Americans and the Indian tribes throughout here, the eleven bands and the contributions that they’ve given to our community and to our region.”
The holiday was initially started as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day in 1989. The holiday began in South Dakota and has since spread to various cities and states. In Wisconsin Madison and Eau Claire, also recognize the holiday. Mayor Mielke clarified though that Wausau’s observance of Indigenous People’s Day is not connected to Columbus Day.
