The idea to change the name of Columbus Day is being mulled by the Brainerd City Council.
At the Brainerd City Council meeting Tuesday, the group tabled the idea to change Columbus Day to "Native Peoples' Day" or to a combination of "Columbus Day/Native Peoples' Day." It will be brought back before the group at its next meeting.
The idea was brought forward by City Council member Chip Borkenhagen to change Columbus Day to "Native Peoples' Day."
It follows suit with cities like Red Wing and Minneapolis, both of which made similar changes.
The Minneapolis City Council voted earlier this year to use "Indigenous Peoples Day" instead of Columbus Day on all city communications, although it will continue to recognize Columbus Day for legal purposes.
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The city of Red Wing decided to rename Columbus Day as "Chief Red Wing Day."
In Bemidji, Shared Vision, also known as the Bemidji Area Race Relations Council, discussed in May the idea of changing the day to "Indigenous Peoples Day," but no formal actions have been taken by the Bemidji City Council.
At Tuesday's meeting, Borkenhagen said changing the name would be a good statement.
"I see it as way for Brainerd to declare itself as more progressive in how we see ourselves and how we got to where we are now," he said.
He added, "Brainerd has a lot of negative things we're dealing with, with budgets and a crumbling water tower, this is something positive to do that wouldn't cost one penny."
City council member Dave Pritschet said he liked the idea, but would rather it be a combination of Columbus Day/Native Peoples' Day.
That would create discussion, he said. Eliminating the Columbus part could hinder discussion or lessons learned.
Borkenhagen suggested that a combination of the two names would "dilute" the statement the city is trying to make.
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"If we do that, what's the point?" he said.
City council member Dolly Matten said "native people" is a controversial term to some people.
City administrator Patrick Wussow will investigate the proper term before the next meeting.
City council member Mary Koep said she wouldn't support changing the name completely, but would support a combination.
"We cannot erase our own history. We must learn from it, the good and bad," she said.
Koep continued that as much as she wants to continue reconciliation and dialogue with American Indians, "we'll offend a whole nother group of people if we do this (eliminating Columbus Day completely). We shouldn't knock another group of people down."
