Many people view Columbus Day as a chance to miss work and indulge in some shopping with big sales. However, many people are coming to see Columbus Day as a holiday that should be ignored or abolished altogether. Read more to learn about the controversy surrounding Columbus Day and how some propose to change it.
Do You Celebrate Columbus Day?
Columbus Day has become a contentious holiday in the United States. On the one hand, Columbus is celebrated by Americans as a representation of their heritage. This is particularly true of Italian Americans, who will often have large parades and use the day as a sort of celebration of their identity as a group. On the other hand, many people in the US are becoming opposed to celebrating a man who was responsible for initiating the displacement and death of the indigenous peoples across the Americas. Furthermore, some people question the logical soundness of the holiday. They suggest it makes no sense that there should be a federal holiday for a man who didn’t help to establish the United States (as legend erroneously said he did for decades) and who never actually landed in what is now the continental United States.
Nevertheless, here in the US, we love a holiday, especially one that merits a day off work. Thus, instead of eliminating the holiday altogether, Language Connections suggests exploring alternative traditions. Here are some people who are directly associated with the discovery of the Americas and could more accurately (and with less controversy) be celebrated instead of Columbus:
Columbus Day: 4 People that could be celebrated instead of Columbus
The Original Inhabitants:
1. The Native Americans: Some think we should celebrate the indigenous people who were living in the Americas before anyone discovered it. Several American cities, such as Seattle, already do this. Los Angeles is on track to make this change in 2019.
An Earlier Explorer:
2. The Vikings: Leif Erikson was an Icelandic Viking with Norwegian ties. He reportedly reached Newfoundland and Labrador in the 11th century. Granted, Leif wasn’t all that curious and did not explore much further. The state of Minnesota already celebrates him, as a large part of their population is of Scandinavian ancestry. They celebrate the day on October 9th, which is often just before or after Columbus Day (depending on when it falls).
The First Proponents of a Globe
3. The Ancient Greeks: The Ancient Greeks contributed so much to human thought, but notable in this discussion is that they were the first people to propose that the world was round. It was only through their texts that Columbus knew it was possible to circumnavigate the world. In fact, by his time, most people believed this was true. Based on this alone, perhaps we should celebrate the Ancient Greeks instead.
Italy’s Claim to the Name
4. Amerigo Vespucci: Vespucci was the Italian cartographer after whom America was originally named. Though his claims about “discovering” the New World have been proven false, we still call multiple continents, a subcontinent, as well as a country, after him. Rather than honoring Columbus, it might make more sense to celebrate America’s namesake.
About Language Connections:
Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.
Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com