Newton celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day, while some want Columbus Day to continue

NEWTON - Newton celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day Monday for the second year in a row and there was a bit of controversy.

Back in 2020, city councilors voted to replace Columbus Day with the new holiday.

While organizers set up on Albemarle Field Monday morning, a small caravan of cars and trucks paraded by the park with Italian flags waving, horns honking and a sign that read "Newton celebrates Columbus Day."

The exchange lasted only briefly before organizers and volunteers turned their attention back to what organizer Robert Quesada described as a multi-cultural, multi-tribal effort to uplift all indigenous voices in Newton through presenters, speakers, and dancers.

"Various people bringing their culture to the forefront to experience, so I hope everyone brings an open mind today so that way they can really see how each of these cultures are still continuing to flourish to this day," he told WBZ-TV. "Being indigenous is being a humanist. There's a lot of connectivity that people can take from. I think that with an open mind they can really learn and create a new understanding for what being indigenous or being native is today in the United States."

Based on the turnout last year, Quesada said about 500 people were expected to attend Monday.

The celebration at Albemarle Field ends at 5 p.m.