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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The very name of Texas is derived from the Caddo word |
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tayshas, meaning "friend," and such treaties as the 1838 Treaty of |
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Live Oak Point between the Republic of Texas and the Lipan Apache |
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Tribe, as well as various treaties made with the Karankawa, |
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Comanche, and Cherokee nations, reflect attempts to forge a |
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friendly relationship between Indigenous peoples and the republic |
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and state governments of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The promises and terms of these treaties have not |
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always been upheld, however, which has resulted in the loss of life, |
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property, and culture, and these historical misunderstandings and |
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tragedies are still in need of healing; and |
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WHEREAS, Since the early 1990s, dozens of cities and a |
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growing number of states have adopted the observance of Indigenous |
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Peoples' Day to celebrate the history and contributions of Native |
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Americans; and |
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WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples' Day was first proposed in 1977 |
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as part of the International Conference on Discrimination Against |
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Indigenous Populations in the Americas; coinciding with Columbus |
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Day, the observance has become an important means of focusing |
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attention on the native peoples of the Americas, past, present, and |
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future; and |
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WHEREAS, The area now known as Texas has been home to |
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Indigenous populations since time immemorial, and over the |
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millennia, the region has been home to numerous tribes with their |
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own unique cultures and ways of life; and |
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WHEREAS, Among other tribes, inhabitants of Texas have |
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included the Alabama-Coushatta, Atakapa, Karankawa, Mariame, and |
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Akokisa along the Gulf Coast, the Caddo, Choctaw, Anadarko, |
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Cherokee, and Wichita in North and East Texas, the Manso and Suma |
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and the people of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in West Texas, the |
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Coahuiltecans, Yaqui, Kickapoo, and Carizzo in South Texas, and the |
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Cocoimes, Chizos, Tobosos, Tawankonis, and Wacos on the North |
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Central Plains; in addition, numerous traditionally nomadic |
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peoples, such as the Comanche, Kiowa Apache, Arapaho, and Lipan |
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Apache, have lived throughout the state; and |
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WHEREAS, The continued presence of Native Americans during |
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the era of the Indian Termination Policy of the mid-1900s and in the |
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decades since has led to an active and thriving Indigenous |
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community in Texas; today, the Lone Star State is home to people |
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from diverse tribal nations from across the Americas, and the |
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effort to retain ancestral memories, languages, and cultures is |
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ongoing and vital; the observation of Indigenous Peoples' Day |
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raises awareness of this rich heritage and the wide-ranging |
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contributions Native Americans have made, are making, and will |
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continue to make to our state and nation; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate the second Monday in October as Indigenous |
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Peoples' Day; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |