Today is the first official National Indigenous Peoples’ day.
We here at the Pad have a deep respect for the land that we occupy and enjoy – and with that, we believe it is necessary to constantly deepen our understanding and respect of those who were here before us and who remain despite the atrocities that displaced them.
If you are a climber, we hope that you take time today to ponder those whose land we now occupy and how we use it. Do some research about how to respectfully enjoy what we have, understand the significance of where we walk, and learn a little about the people indigenous to your favorite places. They are still here in our communities and they are working hard to preserve what was taken from them.
Allyship means a lot more than just tagging a place. It means listening. It means erasing terms like “my tribe” and “spirit animal” from our minds and mouths. If someone Native asks you not to go somewhere, listen. Too many climbers have desecrated sacred Native places already. Let’s tread lightly and educate ourselves today and every day and work to make our sport, and our culture, something that Indigenous people feel comfortable celebrating and joining.
Las Vegas
Did you know that “Paiute” is a colonialized name given to the indigenous peoples along the great basin by the Spanish? The Northern Paiute refer to themselves as Numa or Numu, and the Southern Paiute (Las Vegas) call themselves Nuwuvi.
San Luis Obispo
The Chumash tribe is broad and while many believe that the seat of the Chumash in San Luis Obispo sits farther south in Santa Ynez, SLO has its own tribe, the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini (ytt). The newest dorms at Cal Poly are named for Chumash lands. Learn how to say them! And then learn more here! Do you like plants like we do? Learn how the Chumash see native species and buy this book!
Consider following the following feeds:
If you’re looking to follow broader voices, there are a number of wonderful Indigenous feeds to follow and learn from. Just search!
