RICHMOND, Va. -- The second annual Richmond Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration took place Monday, honoring Indigenous people across the Commonwealth, the country, and the world.
The celebration took place at Powhatan Hill Park in Richmond, which is one of over 100 American cities that has passed legislation to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day on Oct. 14. The event saw the park's baseball field transformed into a dancing circle, and featured games, dancing and food all rooted in Indigenous cultures.
This year, the event directed specific attention to the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe of King William, Virginia.
Connor Tupponce, Cultural Celebration Coordinator with the Pocahontas Project, said the event recognizes the city's commitment to Indigenous citizens while calling on the state to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day.
Tupponce said he hopes the event helped people see what Indigenous cultures look like in the Greater Richmond community.
"We're members of the community, we're people that live here, we're people that grew up here and this is an essential part of our culture, this is an essential part of our story that needs to be told," Tupponce said.
To learn more about Indigenous people in Virginia, you can visit the Pocahontas Project's website or the website of any of the 11 state-recognized tribes.
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