The story of this land begins long before maps were drawn or borders marked. It begins with the First Peoples, our Native Americans, whose voices carried across mountains, rivers, and plains, and whose songs rose with the wind long before we called it history.
They lived in rhythm with the earth, seeing not a resource to be conquered but a spirit to be honored. Every tree, stone, animal, and stream was a relation, an ancestor, a teacher, or a guardian. Their stories were not written in ink, but in the smoke of fires, in the drumbeat of ceremony, and in the pathways of stars.
Through centuries of hardship, displacement, and injustice, Native Americans have endured with resilience that speaks louder than words. Their traditions remain unbroken, their languages carried in the breath of new generations, their artistry alive in beadwork, weaving, dance, and song. They teach us the power of balance, of listening to the land, and of remembering that we are only ever borrowing the earth from those who come after us.
To honor Native Americans is to honor the roots of this land itself. It is to recognize their contributions, from agriculture that still feeds the world, to the wisdom of medicine, to the stewardship of the environment that we so desperately need to learn from today. It is to listen, truly listen, to voices that were silenced for too long, and to hold space for their stories, pain, pride, and triumph.
Today and always, let us give thanks to the Native peoples for their gifts, for their courage, and for their unfailing reminder that the earth, like our humanity, is sacred.