Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration on Pikes Peak
The city of Colorado Springs hosted the third annual Indigenous Peoples Day Sunrise Celebration, which was also the largest to date.
The event featured a ceremonial sunrise blessing on top of Pikes Peak, led by tribal nations. This was one of the rare occasions when the city opened the summit before sunrise.
- The celebration included the unveiling of interpretive signs at the Pikes Peak Summit House.
- The signs highlighted the native language names for the peak, including "T'áiñk'òp" (White Mountain) from the Kiowa Tribe.
"It's kind of funny when you read these invitations," said Hill, a Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Kiowa tribe. "It says, invited to the mountain blessing, kind of like they expect us to come and bless this mountain. Can't bless the mountain” — it’s already considered a sacred place.
Author's summary: Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated on Pikes Peak with a sunrise blessing.