SAN MARCOS, Texas – Last month, the San Marcos City Council unanimously voted to establish Indigenous Peoples' Day on the second Monday in October.
- San Marcos now celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day
- Ask public to respect their culture
- Elders prayed in their native languages
"It was just surprising that after years of many cities struggling to change that day, finally our city changed it and it was wonderful," said Indigenous Cultures Institute executive director Maria Rocha.
To celebrate the first Indigenous Peoples Day officially observed by the city, the Indigenous Cultures Institute invited the public for a Blessing at Spring Lake. During the blessing, elders prayed in their native languages, asking for the healing of people on Mother Earth.
"Indigenous Peoples Day is not an anti-day, it's not an anti-Columbus Day," bilingual educator Carlos Aceves said. "It's a day to celebrate the original inhabitants of this land. It's up to people to make their own decisions about what that means to them."
Archeologists believe the San Marcos Springs-area is the oldest continually inhabited site in North America. This area plays a huge role in the history of Native Americans who consider the springs their origin.
Rocha said her tribal community believes the San Marcos Springs is where they first emerged as people. She asks that the public respect their culture, and remember the original inhabitants, and the Sacred Springs.
"So all these years, people have come here, have enjoyed the water, have died here, have buried their people here in this area. To know that makes this a sacred land because the humans have made this a sacred land, they've prayed here and it's now very important to us," Rocha said.
To further honor the rich history of this area, the Indigenous Cultures Institute will be hosting its 8th Annual Sacred Springs Pow-Wow in mid-November.