Indigenous Peoples’ Day is marked annually on the second Monday of October to honor the cultures and histories of the Native American people. This year, the day falls on Oct. 11, which is also Columbus Day.

The first plan for Indigenous Peoples’ Day started at a U.N. international conference on discrimination in 1977. South Dakota was the first state to recognize the day in 1989, followed by Berkeley, California and Santa Cruz.

Here are some inspirational quotes, collected from AZ Quotes, to share on this day:

1. "Indigenous people made huge contributions to this country. The biggest is in sharing the land and resources. People need to see that, understand that. Indigenous people should be viewed as the founding peoples of this land." – Perry Bellegarde

2. "Although we are in different boats you in your boat and we in our canoe we share the same river of life." – Oren Lyons

3. "Indigenous people believe that Man belongs to the World; civilized people believe that the World belongs to Man." – Daniel Quinn

4. "Since the beginning, Native Peoples lived a life of being in harmony with all that surrounds us. It is a belief that all humankind are related to each other. Each has a purpose, spirit and sacredness. It is an understanding with the Great Spirit or Creator that we will follow these ways. And in this understanding we believe we are related to all other living species." – Dennis Banks

5. "We are all indigenous people on this planet, and we have to reorganize to get along." – Rebecca Adamson

6. "We are not myths of the past, ruins in the jungle, or zoos. We are people and we want to be respected, not to be victims of intolerance and racism." – Rigoberta Menchu

7. "For Indigenous peoples , the impact of separating us from our heritage goes directly to the heart that pumps life through our peoples. To expect a people to be able to enjoy their culture without their cultural heritage and their sacred belongings is equivalent to amputating their legs and digging up the ground and asking them to run a marathon." – Mick Dodson

8. "Solutions will not be found while Indigenous people are treated as victims for whom someone else must find solutions." – Malcolm Fraser

9. "Through consciousness, our minds have the power to change our planet and ourselves. It is time we heed the wisdom of the ancient indigenous people and channel our consciousness and spirit to tend the garden and not destroy it." – Bruce H. Lipton

10. "The indigenous peoples understand that they have to recover their cultural identity, or to live it if they have already recovered it. They also understand that this is not a favor or a concession, but simply their natural right to be recognized as belonging to a culture that is distinct from the Western culture, a culture in which they have to live their own faith." – Samuel Ruiz

Guatemala's indigenous peoples claim they are the victims of discrimination
Guatemala's indigenous peoples claim they are the victims of discrimination AFP / Johan ORDONEZ
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