DURHAM, N.C. — The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples recognizes the achievements and contributions of Indigenous people.
The day aims to raise awareness about protecting indigenous rights and is celebrated on August 9. Dominique Daye Hunter, an Afro-Indigenous author, said that the day is important for keeping her culture alive and inspiring others.
"We are still sharing our voices and our narratives," Hunter said. "And it's so important not only for the empowerment and pride for Indigenous people to reclaim our culture and heritage, for our own mental and physical and overall well-being, but for that of the Earth and for others to understand and be educated on who we are and where we come from, and so that we can dispel stereotypes and start treating one another with respect.”
Hunter's goal is for everyone to know their true self and preserve their history.
"Because if you don't know your history, you don't know where you're coming from," Hunter said. "We should all be allowed to be who we are in a foundational way, and in that way we can help to heal a lot of the pain and a lot of the suffering that our ancestors have gone through and that our children and our people still experience.”
Hunter is the author of "Seeds: Stories of Afro Indigenous Resilience."
For more information on her work, resources, and workshops, visit her website.
