You may have grown up reciting the old rhyme, “In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” For generations, Christopher Columbus was credited with “discovering” America — even though thriving, sophisticated Nations had lived on these lands for millennia. In 1937, the U.S. made Columbus Day a federal holiday, a move largely championed by Italian Americans seeking recognition during a period of intense discrimination.
In recent decades, that celebration has come under increasing scrutiny. Long before European colonization, vibrant Indigenous communities flourished across the Americas — and the arrival of settlers led to centuries of violence, forced displacement, and cultural erasure. The intergenerational trauma of those policies continues today. In recent years, the remains of hundreds of Indigenous children have been uncovered at former residential and boarding school sites — facilities where Native children were taken from their families under the 1819 Civilization Fund Act and forced to abandon their languages, traditions, and identities in an effort to assimilate them into white, Christian society. These schools are among the most painful chapters in U.S. and Canadian history, and their legacy still reverberates through Indigenous communities.
While the damage cannot be undone, many cities and states across the U.S. now recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place of Columbus Day — a day to honor Indigenous resilience, cultures, and sovereignty, and to recognize those who have long fought against the impacts of colonialism.
This year, we encourage you to mark the day by supporting Indigenous-owned businesses and engaging with the work of Native authors, chefs, and filmmakers. Below, we’ve rounded up books, recipes, shows, and organizations that celebrate and amplify Indigenous creativity, leadership, and community power.
Brands to Shop on Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Ginew
Ginew
Ginew is the first Native American-owned denim collection, founded by Amanda Bruegl (Oneida, Stockbridge-Munsee) and Erik Brodt (Ojibwe). The two are originally from Wisconsin, but now reside in Oregon. Many of their designs are inspired by their ancestry and families who have lived in Wisconsin for generations, and you can find family symbols and teachings incorporated into many of their garments.
Trickster Company
Trickster Company
Created by siblings Rico and Crystal Worl, Trickster Company is a shop that focuses on promoting innovative Indigenous designs. The two are based in the Northwestern United States, which is why many of their products explore “themes and issues in Native culture and strive to represent a prestigious lineage of art in fresh and energetic ways as a celebration of Northwest Coast culture as it lives today.” From beautiful home goods like this carved wall hanging to stylish clothing, Trickster Company has something for everyone.
Birch Bark Coffee Co.
Birch Bark Coffee Co.
Coffee lovers know that how beans are harvested and roasted are just as important (if not more) than how they are prepared before brewing a cup. Birch Bark Coffee Co. is a fair-trade, organic, SPP-certified coffee brand that partners with Indigenous farmers and communities throughout the supply chain, and they give back to those communities to help them have clean water and lead healthy lives.
B. Yellowtail
Faherty
Bethany Yellowtail is the LA based designer behind B.Yellowtail, which is heavily influenced by Yellowtail’s Northern Cheyenne and Crow tribe heritage. She did a beautiful collaboration with Faherty, and while not much is left, this gorgeous patchwork blanket is and it’s the perfect way to fire up your fall home decor.
Eighth Generation
Eighth Generation
Owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe, Eighth Generation partners directly with Indigenous artists to produce beautifully designed wool blankets, jewelry, and home goods under its “Inspired Natives” model — a deliberate stand against cultural appropriation and “Native-inspired” knockoffs. Every item sold uplifts Native artists and their communities, and the brand continues to lead conversations around ethical representation in design.
Beyond Buckskin
Beyond Buckskin
In 2009, Jessica R. Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) founded Beyond Buckskin as an e-commerce platform to showcase items created by Native American designers and artists. The site is a treasure trove of original art, jewelry, and clothing, but our eyes were immediately drawn to this gorgeous handmade beaded bracelet by Navajo artist Earl Nathaniel.
Séka Hills Olive Oil
Amazon
After you’ve tried Séka Hills Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you’ll never be able to go back to the regular grocery store brand. “Séka” means “blue” in the Patwin language, and the company was named after the blue hills that the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation’s land overlooks in Northern California. The tribe owns more than 22,000 acres in California where they farm their products and work to protect and preserve the natural landscape.
Cheekbone Beauty
Cheekbone Beauty
Jenn Harper, the founder of Cheekbone Beauty, struggled to accept and understand her indigenous roots for most of her life, and it wasn’t until she learned about her grandmother’s experience at a residential school that she began to understand the generational trauma she faced. She founded Cheekbone Beauty with a mission to create an Indigenous-owned, sustainable beauty company that would support young Indigenous women. Ten percent of all of the company’s profits go toward organizations that support Indigenous youth.
They are best known for their lipsticks, and for good reason: the Aki red, which is named for the Anishinaabe or Ojibwe language word for land or earth, compliments literally every single skin tone.
Books About the Indigenous Experience
“There There” by Tommy Orange
Author Tommy Orange is a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and was raised in Oklahoma, and his debut novel There There was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize. The novel consists of essays about a large group of Native Americans living in Oakland, CA, and their struggles with everything from alcoholism to unemployment to ethnic identity.
“The Night Watchman” by Louise Erdrich
Author Louise Erdrich wrote this Pulitzer Prize winning novel in honor of her grandfather. It’s about the tribal chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota who serves as a nightwatchman in the 1950s. His life and the lives of his family are upended when he learns that their tribe has been flagged by the American government for “emancipation,” which will strip them of the little land they have left.
“Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land” by Toni Jensen
This powerful memoir about what it’s like to be an Indigenous woman living in America today is told through the lens of Toni Jensen’s personal encounters with gun violence. She contrasts her own family experience with guns — her father was a card-carrying member of the NRA — with the constant threat of racism and gun violence she feels while working on a college campus.
Dishes to Cook on Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Kale and Toasted Pumpkin Seed Salad from Tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine by Shane M. Chartrand
Shane M. Chartrand was born to Cree parents and raised by a Métis father and Mi’kmaw-Irish mother. He’s dedicated years to learning about his history, visiting with other First Nations peoples, gathering and sharing knowledge and stories, and creating dishes that reflect his experiences doing so. The result is tawâw — meaning ‘welcome, there is room’ — a book that traces Chartrand’s culinary journey. He is now the executive chef at the acclaimed SC Restaurant in the River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch, Alberta, on Treaty 6 Territory.
Three Sisters Summertime Salad with Smoked Trout from The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman and Beth Dooley
In this James Beard Award–winning cookbook, Chef Sean Sherman (Oglala Lakota) reclaims traditional Indigenous foodways and ingredients, offering recipes that emphasize sustainability, seasonality, and deep cultural connection.
Movies and Shows to Watch on Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Reservation Dogs (Hulu)
Created by Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee) and Taika Waititi, this groundbreaking FX series follows four Indigenous teens navigating life, grief, and friendship in rural Oklahoma. The show concluded in 2023 after three acclaimed seasons, but all episodes remain available to stream on Hulu. A landmark in Native storytelling, Reservation Dogs is celebrated for its authentic humor, heart, and all-Indigenous writers’ room and cast.
Padma Lakshmi’s Taste The Nation Episode 7, “The Original Americans” (Hulu, FX)
In this powerful episode of Padma Lakshmi’s Emmy-winning series Taste the Nation, Lakshmi travels to Arizona to learn from Indigenous chefs and community leaders about food sovereignty and the cultural importance of traditional ingredients. Though the show ended after two seasons, “The Original Americans” episode remains available to stream on Hulu, offering an essential look at how Native cuisine and identity intertwine.
Gather (iTunes, Amazon Prime Video)
Gather is a documentary that focuses on modern Indigenous Americans who are attempting to reclaim their cultural heritage by rebuilding native food systems. It’s a great film to watch after learning the history of Indigenous food in Taste the Nation. There is Nephi Craig, a chef from the White Mountain Apache Nation in Arizona, who opens a cafe, Elsie Dubray, a scientist studying Bison from the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation in South Dakota, and a group of environmental activists from the Yurok Nation in Northern California who are trying to save the Klamath River.
Where to Donate to Support Indigenous Communities
Flower Hill Institute
Flower Hill is an Indigenous-owned nonprofit that works to help Indigenous people preserve and enhance cultural resources, prepare youth to inherit leadership, improve economic self-sufficiency, organize inter-tribal movements, and improve climate change resiliency.
NDN Collective
NDN Collective is a South Dakota-based Indigenous-led organization of grassroots organizers and community builders dedicated to equality. The group has recently restructured following 2025 funding cuts, but it continues to support community-led solutions to climate justice, racial equity, and land sovereignty.
Native American Media Alliance
The Native American Media Alliance is a community-based organization that provides the genuine voice of Native Americans in the entertainment industry and offers unique programs that educate the non-Native population.
