Dover honors indigenous heritage

posted on 10/11/2024

This month, the city of Dover continues its commitment to recognizing the area's indigenous heritage.

In 2021, following a recommendation by the city's Racial Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Dover City Council adopted a land acknowledgment statement recognizing the Abenaki, Pennacook and Wabanaki peoples as the traditional stewards of the land now known as Dover. Bronze plaques featuring this acknowledgment are installed at city facilities and public schools, serving as permanent reminders of the area's indigenous history. The City Council in 2020 voted to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day in place of Columbus Day, but that decision was reversed by a new state law that took effect last month, mandating that New Hampshire communities adhere to official state holidays as identified by state statute.

Dover continues to recognize its indigenous ancestors. In 2022, the city launched the "Indigenous Dover" initiative, supported by a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council, which aims to foster a deeper understanding of the indigenous peoples who inhabited the area thousands of years before European settlement. Residents can explore this history through a dedicated web resource at bit.ly/nativedover.

Continuing this tradition, City Councilor At-Large Linnea Nemeth, the Council's liaison to the Committee for Racial Equity and Inclusion, read the land acknowledgment statement before the City Council's Oct. 9 regular meeting. A flag-raising ceremony in recognition of Dover's Indigenous ancestors is scheduled for today, Friday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m. at City Hall. The event is open to all.

Councilor Nemeth said additional recognition is planned in November during Native American Heritage Month.

"For our calendar and for purposes of publicizing holidays which city facilities aren't open, it will be recognized as Columbus Day in accordance with state law," City Manager J. Michael Joyal Jr. said at a recent City Council meeting. "But that does not prevent us from acknowledging or allowing festivities, information, or events that are centered around indigenous peoples."