The Last Day of Freedom

Every year on 12 October, America commemorates Christopher Columbus’s arrival. This event, commonly known as the ‘discovery of America’, marked the beginning of the European seizure of the entire continent. As a result, the land was settled and developed over time. Different major nations have originated in the Americas since then, including the world’s leading economic and military power, the United States. Reason enough to celebrate 12 October!

When Columbus landed in America, there were already people and civilisations, and for their descendants, 12 October has a different meaning. In Argentina, indigenous people refer to this day as “El último día de libertad en América”, meaning “the last day of freedom in America”. It is a day that commemorates the millions of indigenous people (between 15 and 80 million) who lost their lives. It commemorates the enslavement and forced labour in mines. It is a day that reminds us that gold, silver and land were considered more valuable than human lives.

This may sound provocative to many Westerners who have traditionally strong ties with America. The days of conquest are long gone, and today America’s immigrants cannot be held responsible for the actions of their ancestors. This is certainly true. However, it is often forgotten that the occupation of America completely destroyed indigenous structures and that the consequences are still devastating. Consequently, Amerindians in North America live on the margins of society and continue to fight for the legal rights granted to them by the conquerors. In some Latin American countries, the indigenous population is in the majority (e.g. Peru), yet they still have no political power. This is also evident in economic terms, particularly with regard to access to natural resources and large estates. Here, indigenous people are at a disadvantage and only possess second-rate land at most.

The contributions of European immigrants to America and to the world must be recognised. At the same time, however, they also destroyed a great deal, and the consequences for Native Americans are still being felt today. It is time to confront the past and, if only symbolically, offer the Amerindians a positive sign. The US government under President Obama promised the indigenous population 3.4 billion dollars in compensation. This is an important step, but we must also address the past so that indigenous peoples can finally regain their dignity, rights, and freedom.