RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – At a rally on Sunday, President Donald Trump pledged to restore what he called “traditional American Icons” after accusing former President Joe Biden of diminishing Christopher Columbus’ legacy by being the first president to proclaim Indigenous People’s Day to be observed alongside Columbus Day back in 2021.
Despite Trump’s decision to revert to Columbus Day, Native Americans in KOTA Territory like Krystal Rencountre say they will continue to celebrate Indigenous people on the holiday, as well as every other day.
“In our world, every day is Indigenous People Day. Resilience is something that has run through generations upon generations so we continue to not let other people’s opinions define who we are. We define who we are every day so whether its called Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day, we know our history and we are still proud people,” said Rencountre.
South Dakota was among …