Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer posted a video on X marking Indigenous Peoples’ Day and highlighting partnerships with the state’s 12 Tribal Nations. The clip shows her saying “Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Michigan” while describing tribal history training for state employees and other related efforts. Online users reacted after the post, with many replies stating that the day is Columbus Day and questioning the decision to focus on the alternative observance.
The video shows Whitmer speaking directly to the camera in front of flags. She opens by saying, “Happy Indigenous People’s Day, Michigan.” She continues that Indigenous “businesses and ways of life have shaped so much of Michigan,” “from the name of our state to the preservation of our lands,” and that “since taking office” the state “established an annual training on tribal history and sovereignty for the State of Michigan employees.”
She also references the “right to wear traditional regalia to graduation” and efforts “on issues that affect their rights and values,” ending with a call for “learning, and building a future where every community can thrive.”
According to the accompanying post text, Whitmer is “grateful for our partnerships with the 12 Tribal Nations” and urges people to “honor the vibrant cultures of our indigenous communities and recommit to working for a better future.”
A Detroit Free Press report the same day noted that Whitmer issued a formal proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2025, though no such proclamation had been released for 2026 as of the article’s publication; the federal government continues to observe the date as Columbus Day, while some Michigan communities recognize both or one of the two observances.
Responses to the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Video
Many replies on the X post focused on the day’s name, with users stating that it is Columbus Day. One wrote, “Today is Columbus Day, you demonic ghoul!”
Another said, “It’s Columbus Day no matter how many attempts at rewriting history that you try,” and a third simply posted, “Happy Columbus Day.”
Other comments on the same thread were more pointed about Whitmer’s framing. One user called her a “dumb irrelevant twit” for not acknowledging Columbus Day, while another wrote, “you dumb irrelevant twit, it’s Columbus Day.”
A separate reply asked, “When will the French be considered indigenous?” after noting their family’s long presence in Michigan.
Separate accounts in Michigan posted their own messages that day recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the state’s Tribal Nations. The Michigan Senate Democratic Caucus wrote that it was honoring “the Tribal Nations and Native communities who have cared for Michigan’s lands and waters for generations,” and other users shared similar notes of recognition.
Whitmer’s message adds one more exchange to the long-running discussion over how the second Monday in October is observed in Michigan and across the country.
