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Auraria celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day showcasing Native artists

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Kate Rigot

krigot@mscd.edu

 

Auraria celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day Oct. 7 by hosting Café Cultura, a monthly open mic and poetry slam focusing on Indigenous and Latino/a artists.

“It’s strange being a native person but a stranger in your own land,” sang Native American hip-hop duo Culture Shock Camp.

“Everybody say ‘tura’ he’ (‘doo-dah hey’),” Quese Frejo said to the 75 people gathered in St. Cajetan’s Center to watch the show.  “That means ‘I have a good feeling right here in my heart, I feel blessed.’”

Usually held monthly at Denver Inner City Parish’s La Academia, the Oct. 7 event at St. Cajetan’s Center, was billed as “celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.”

Café Cultura was founded to “[showcase] the work of the Latino, Chicano, indigenous, and other underserved communities,” according to its mission statement.

Café Cultura co-founder Ara Cruz said Café Cultura “[brings] about unity and healing through creative expression while empowering young people to express themselves, reclaim written and oral traditions, and help them become leaders in their community.”

Cruz also emphasized the importance of celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.

“With all the controversy that goes on with Columbus Day, it’s important to celebrate indigenous peoples of this continent, indigenous resistance, and the continuation of cultural traditions.  I think that’s incredibly important, and vital to our moving forward,” he said.

Indigenous Peoples Day was created as an alternative to Columbus Day, which many consider to be problematic and offensive because of its association with the genocide and colonization of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The three Auraria schools are required by state law to “observe” Columbus Day, but do so as an “alternate” holiday – the campus is still open and classes are held, and school employees take a day off elsewhere in the year when the campus is closed.

UCD’s Director of Hispanic Student Educational Programs & Outreach Angela Marquez said bringing Café Cultura to campus was in response to student requests.

“It’s UCD’s way of connecting with the community, letting them know we support them, celebrating culture and exposing the university community to a different voice,” Marquez said.

Culture Shock Camp closed the show with an informal, yet powerful performance.  The duo, consisting of brothers Brian and Quese Frejo, described their style as “movement music,” combining politically charged and empowering hip-hop with spoken word and music from Native traditions.

Other acts included spoken word duo NovaKane & G, Jovan Mays of Slam Nuba, and several student acts, including Metro’s own dance team, Lethal Monsters.  Topics ranged from child abuse and domestic violence to genocide, immigrant and indigenous rights, and Columbus Day itself.

Cafe Cultura is usually held the second Friday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at Denver Inner City Parish’s La Academia on Galapago St. at 9th Ave.

Auraria celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day Oct. 7 by hosting Café Cultura, a monthly open mic and poetry slam focusing on Indigenous and Latino/a artists.

“It’s strange being a native person but a stranger in your own land,” sang Native American hip-hop duo Culture Shock Camp.

“Everybody say ‘tura’ he’ (‘doo-dah hey’),” Quese Frejo said to the 75 people gathered in St. Cajetan’s Center to watch the show.  “That means ‘I have a good feeling right here in my heart, I feel blessed.’”

Usually held monthly at Denver Inner City Parish’s La Academia, the Oct. 7 event at St. Cajetan’s Center, was billed as “celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.”

Café Cultura was founded to “[showcase] the work of the Latino, Chicano, indigenous, and other underserved communities,” according to its mission statement.

Café Cultura co-founder Ara Cruz said Café Cultura “[brings] about unity and healing through creative expression while empowering young people to express themselves, reclaim written and oral traditions, and help them become leaders in their community.”

Cruz also emphasized the importance of celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.

“With all the controversy that goes on with Columbus Day, it’s important to celebrate indigenous peoples of this continent, indigenous resistance, and the continuation of cultural traditions.  I think that’s incredibly important, and vital to our moving forward,” he said.

Indigenous Peoples Day was created as an alternative to Columbus Day, which many consider to be problematic and offensive because of its association with the genocide and colonization of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The three Auraria schools are required by state law to “observe” Columbus Day, but do so as an “alternate” holiday – the campus is still open and classes are held, and school employees take a day off elsewhere in the year when the campus is closed.

UCD’s Director of Hispanic Student Educational Programs & Outreach Angela Marquez said bringing Café Cultura to campus was in response to student requests.

“It’s UCD’s way of connecting with the community, letting them know we support them, celebrating culture and exposing the university community to a different voice,” Marquez said.

Culture Shock Camp closed the show with an informal, yet powerful performance.  The duo, consisting of brothers Brian and Quese Frejo, described their style as “movement music,” combining politically charged and empowering hip-hop with spoken word and music from Native traditions.

Other acts included spoken word duo NovaKane & G, Jovan Mays of Slam Nuba, and several student acts, including Metro’s own dance team, Lethal Monsters.  Topics ranged from child abuse and domestic violence to genocide, immigrant and indigenous rights, and Columbus Day itself.

Cafe Cultura is usually held the second Friday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at Denver Inner City Parish’s La Academia on Galapago St. at 9th Ave.

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