'Water has memory' - Indigenous Peoples', Columbus Day marked in NYC

Record ID: 1692648

  • Title: 'Water has memory' - Indigenous Peoples', Columbus Day marked in NYC
  • Date: 10th October 2022
  • Summary: PEOPLE HOLDING ITALIAN FLAGS SONS OF ITALY LODGE PRESIDENT, MARIO CERMELE, STANDING WITH CROWD AT PARADE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SONS OF ITALY LODGE PRESIDENT, MARIO CERMELE, SAYING "(Italian) Christopher Columbus was a great admiral of the seas. He discovered Western civilization. Before 1492, If you look at your geographical maps, the Western world was nonexistent. Now, was he a perfect guy? I don't care what culture you belong to, no one is perfect, except the man up above. Okay? So say that, what we want, is that this a man who had a dream, everybody thought the world ended, there was a drop-off. He thought the world was round. He was a great navigator." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM ITALY, CAMILLE GIRIRI, SAYING: "I'd like to see other celebration about other cultures that lives here, because we are not just Italians here. There are other countries, other cultures. But I don't know. For me, it's not good to argue about this and to, because this is a celebration about Italians. And then I think there must be other celebrations." GIRIRI STANDING AT PARADE
  • Embargoed: 24th October 2022 19:24
  • Keywords: Christopher Columbus Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples' Day Manhattan New York Randall's Island
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues,United States
  • Reuters ID: LVA003127710102022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: For the second year running as an official U.S. holiday, Indigenous Peoples' Day is being marked Monday (October 10) in New York alongside Columbus Day.
    Some 50 people, many in traditional Native American garments, gathered at sunrise New York City's Randall's Island and waded into the waters of the East River to mark the day.
    Later on, the 78th annual Columbus Day drew crowds in New York to mark the explorer's voyage and Italian-American culture, as the focus increasingly has turned to the heritage and plight of indigenous people subjugated by European settlers.
    New York City has traditionally played host to the nation's largest Columbus Day parade.
    "Everybody thought the world ended, there was a drop-off," a lodge president for the Sons of Italy, Mario Cermele, told Reuters at the parade. "He thought the world was round. He was a great navigator."
    Columbus Day parades are also being held in Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia. Other cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Portland, Oregon, have replaced Columbus Day with - or added - a holiday honoring indigenous people.
    Last year, U.S. President Joe Biden declared an official Indigenous Peoples' Day to coincide with Columbus Day for the first time.
    "For me, it's not good to argue about this," Italian tourist, Camille Giriri, told Reuters. "This is a celebration about Italians. And then I think there must be other celebrations."
    (Production by: Mike Segar, Hussein al Waaile and Dan Fastenberg)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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