The idea of Columbus Day has been bugging me for the few weeks since it was celebrated on Oct. 8. For years, Columbus Day has been a major point of contention – and for good reason. After witnessing the outcries against this national holiday, I thought of a way to alter the holiday without eliminating it entirely. I will grant that the original purpose of Columbus Day was probably to acknowledge his expedition. That is noble and should be commemorated without glorifying the man himself. Instead of singling out one specific character with hordes of human rights violations, we could implement a holiday that instills in all of us a sense of exploration, adventure and risk by honoring past expeditionists.
I propose that we implement a national day of recognition of explorers; call it Explorers’ Day, if you will. It is important to foster a sense of adventure and to encourage America’s youth to travel and learn all that they can of the world and of new cultures. With the prevalence of electronics, it is easy to Google things in order to learn. However, this knowledge is not as rich as firsthand experience; travelling to unfamiliar places to experience new cultures should be encouraged.
What if Americans decided to acknowledge all of the men and women who paved the way for future quests and fostered a sense of adventure, while denouncing the abuse of natives? If we were to implement such a holiday, there are plenty of voyagers deserving of acknowledgment that come to mind.
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor, set out on an expedition to circumnavigate the Earth in the 16th century. (Sorry, flat-earthers.) Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark are great examples of honorable pioneers, navigating the treacherous waters of the Mississippi River, crossing state boundaries while simultaneously overcoming their own racial and gender boundaries. Amelia Earhart, the first widely recognized female pilot, ought to be recognized. Earhart flew to new heights in regards to society’s view on women and their independence, bravery and skills. Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, is certainly one to be recognized, as he opened the doors to space exploration, bringing back with him the mysticism of outer space. These are just a few trailblazers who come to mind when I consider great explorers.
The early indigenous people met by Columbus upon his arrival are also to be venerated, as they explored the wild terrain, discovering ways in which to treat the land without causing harm. Native Americans had tribes across all of North America – they had adapted and developed a relationship with nature, learning through direct experience.
If this proposal to alter Columbus Day seems too far-fetched or controversial for some, consider even keeping Columbus on the list, observing his feat of sailing to the New World, while firmly decrying his mistreatment of those who came before him.
The purpose of the suggested Explorers’ Day is to honor the spirit of adventure and to recognize former travelers’ accomplishments while looking forward to future expeditions. There are so many facets of the universe that have not even been discovered yet.
It is important to instill in the youth of America a sense of intrigue and longing for knowledge of other cultures, while also being sure to respect new and unfamiliar territory. One important lesson that we can all learn from Columbus’ arrival to the New World is that regardless of whether a culture is familiar to us, it is imperative to be respectful; there is much to learn from people who are different from us.
One way in which we, as students, can acknowledge and celebrate Explorers’ Day is by studying abroad. Going abroad gives us amazing opportunities to immerse ourselves in other cultures. My guess is that Magellan, Earhart, Armstrong and the rest of the previously mentioned pioneers would all promote studying abroad, as this gives us the opportunity to spend weeks, if not months, in new places, meeting new people and learning new languages. Adventure is out there. We should have an official holiday to celebrate it.
Hannah Whitaker is a UF English sophomore. Her column appears on Mondays.
