On Monday, October 14, Holyoke Public Schools will be closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day, as will schools, government offices, post office branches, banks, and other businesses across the country as a way to honor and reflect on the histories and cultures of Indigenous Americans. Some will close in observance of Columbus Day, a national holiday since 1937—and some will close in observance of both.
“HPS recognizes that the land we now call Holyoke has a long and winding history that began many centuries before European settlers arrived in the 1600s,” Superintendent Anthony Soto said. “Today—and always—we honor the legacy of the Pocumtuc and Algonquin people. We acknowledge that the land we now call home was taken from Native Americans, as were their very lives through illness and wars brought by European settlers. Honoring this legacy is an essential part of our efforts to become an antiracist and culturally responsive school community.
The first inhabitants of Holyoke were Native Americans who used the Connecticut River as a major source of transportation. The Pocumtuc (or Deerfield) tribe of Native Americans inhabited a large swath of western Massachusetts in what is now Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties, as well as portions of northern Connecticut and southern Vermont. At different times in history, many tribes of the Algonquins are believed to have resided in the area, including the Pequots, Mohegans, and Chippewas. Others included the Agawams to the south and the Nonotucks to the north, from whom early European settlers took land that would be incorporated into the future boundaries of Holyoke.
“We must remember and learn from history—and pledge never to repeat it,” Mr. Soto said.
The National Education Association has compiled a variety of resources for teaching and learning about indigenous peoples. These resources include suggested reading lists for families when choosing books for their children, as well as suggested learning activities and other educational resources for teachers.
All HPS schools will reopen on Tuesday, October 15, following their regular schedules.