Note: In this article the term America/Americas describes the region/continent not the country and the term South America/american encompasses central america as well.
Who was Christopher Columbus? You all know the answer; on a surface level. But who was Christopher Columbus truly? Beyond his name and birthday. When trialled in today’s court of moral standards, what would the public’s verdict be? Was he truly a hero? Or rather a villain? Today we will look at the celebration of Columbus Day (a holiday celebrated on the second Monday of October) from 4 perspectives: A native american (US), a white american (US), a european and an indigenous south american.
Native American (US):
Before Columbus and colonisation arrived in America, there were millions of indigenous people populating it. Now, after centuries of genocide, native americans make up a minority of population in these countries *ahem* US. For these minorities, the celebration of Columbus Day is not happy or just. In the US, indigenous people recognize Columbus’s navigational prowess, but recognize that their ancestors were there before Columbus and suffered greatly because of the harmful actions that followed his discovery of the New World. Why should the native americans and their country celebrate a man who not only never actually stepped foot in their country, but indirectly caused the inequalities that plague them today.
White American (US):
Some Americans, especially older generations, believe that even though Columbus led to colonialism in the Americas, he should still be celebrated for his great accomplishments. Due to Columbus’s skill of navigation, and his discovery of the continents, many Europeans chose to migrate to the new world and start families there. A majority of Americans today are descendants of those European immigrants. An example of this is the Columbus Club, an Italian-immigrant founded organisation that celebrates him. Some Americans also feel that celebrating Columbus is part of their countries tradition as after the war for independence, the media immortalised him as an idol. Many Americans today still consider Columbus a hero for his explorations as it eventually led to many of their ancestors migrating to the US, and are happy to celebrate him.
European:
Some Europeans believe that Columbus’s discovery of the new world marks an important moment in history and the advancement of European civilization. Columbus brought many goods back from his voyages and after he discovered the new continent, new trade routes were established leading to great growth in Europe’s economy. These events and the large population of Europeans migrants majorly impacted the continent’s culture. On the other side of the spectrum, some Europeans are ashamed of Columbus and other European explorers’s actions. They feel that the negative impacts of Columbus on the world outweigh the positive ones.
Indigenous South/Central American:
One might argue that the citizens of South American countries have been the most impacted by Columbus’ voyages, as it was the Bahamas he landed in, and Caribbean islands he later explored. Meaning that, in contrast to North American indigenous people, the natives of South America were directly impacted by Christopher Columbus’s actions. Though slavery was not as big of an issue in South America as it was in the North, the indigenous population was still heavily discriminated against and impacted by the Atlantic Slave Trade. Therefore it comes as no surprise that they do not celebrate Columbus as a person or idea. They instead choose to celebrate the Day of Race; A holiday with a focus on the hardships indigenous people endured and how they survived. Thus taking a potentially painful concept, and turning it into a joyous event.
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