Celebrating 5th year of Indigenous Peoples’ Days

The Indigenous Cultures Institute, in partnership with the city of San Marcos, is hosting an event that honors and shares the cultural heritage of Native Americans indigenous to Texas and northern Mexico.

Elders and youth will gather at the historic Spring Lake site in San Marcos to share stories, songs, dances and teachings passed down through generations.

This free two-hour public event will feature storytelling of the Coahuiltecan Creation Story by Elder, Dr. Mario Garza, who will explain the significance of the cultural history of Spring Lake and its importance to local Native peoples. Traditional powwow dancers will perform and share the meaning behind the dances, regalia and songs. Local Indigenous youth will also share songs and teachings from their culture.

Families are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket and join this inspirational and educational event.

The Indigenous Cultures Institute works to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Native American tribes indigenous to Texas and northern Mexico. Through education, research, and community events, the Institute provides opportunities for people to connect with and understand these ancient cultures in meaningful ways. The Institute supports individuals embracing their indigenous identity through an Indigenous framework focused on community, kinship, respect for ancestors and elders, and restoring balance between people and the natural world.

'Our Native cultures hold timeless values of sustainability, community, and reverence for the Earth that remain deeply relevant today,' said Laura Rios-Ramirez, community organizer for the 5th Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration. 'By sharing our cultural heritage through events like Indigenous Peoples’ Day, instead of celebrating Columbus Day, we hope to strengthen the connections between the people and the histories that have been erased about Indigenous People and their ties to the Sacred Springs.”