In observance of Indigenous Peoples Day, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe hosted a two-day Powwow at their Snow Mountain reservation. On the holiday, dozens gather near the Strip.
Just outside Las Vegas city limits off Interstate 11 is Las Vegas Paiute land. On Saturday, October 11th, tribal members from the surrounding region and across the nation gathered to dance in their regalia and connect with family and friends.
It was the weekend before Indigenous Peoples Day, and Las Vegas Paiute Tribe co-chair Mariah Mike, who’s on the Snow Mountain Powwow Committee, says the timing is no mistake.
“We actually had our first few annual powwows in May, which we moved, and it was close to Veterans Day, so we wanted to switch to another culturally significant date to us," Mike said.
In the most recent Nevada Legislature, Assemblywoman Shae Backus sponsored a bill that would have officially designated Indigenous People’s Day to overlap with Christopher Columbus day. The measure passed in both the Assembly and Senate, but when it reached Governor Joe Lombardo’s desk, he vetoed it.
In his veto letter, the governor said he didn’t want the two holidays to compete. But Indigenous communities believe it's time to stop celebrating a man who devastated their homeland when he arrived in the Americas.
“We as Nuwe people, we are here. We will continue to fight for representation," Mike said. "It’s nothing new. It’s a battle we will continue to have, and we will probably have it until things are right.”
Although Indigenous Peoples day is not yet a federal or state holiday, members of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe say they acknowledge their people this day and every day.
On Oct. 13 — which others marked as Columbus Day — Nevada tribal members and elected officials met at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. The iconic white neon diamond was outfitted with yellow, orange and turquoise light bulbs for the holiday.
Barbara Hartzell, the executive director of Native Voters Alliance, was among the dignitaries speaking at the event.
“You know it’s not the first time. This has been a long battle to get Indigenous Peoples day recognized on the second Monday of the month," Hartzell said. "And so, it’s not a fight that we won’t continue to take on. The continued erasure of our history and our identities from these spaces is also not uncommon.”
Dozens of people gathered on the grass to count down to one before flipping on a giant switch. Countless more would line up for selfies in front the sign lit with its Indigenous Peoples Day colors until they changed the following day.
