Middletown Mayor To Issue Indigenous Peoples' Day Proclamation

MIDDLETOWN, CT – A proclamation will be presented to Wangunk Elder to proclaim Monday, Oct. 9, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Middletown will occur on Friday.

“We have the opportunity and duty to honor all members of this community and to be inclusive and respectful of all people and cultures,” Middletown Mayor Benjamin Florsheim said. “This is an occasion to recognize our history and strive towards a better future for all who make their homes upon this land.”

On Friday, Oct. 6, at 2:30 p.m. in the foyer outside the Council Chamber at City Hall, 245 deKoven

Dr. Mayor Florsheim will present a proclamation in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day to Red Oak (Gary O’Neil), an Elder of the Wangunk people.

“It is nice that the lost tribe is being recognized because, for many years, no one knew what happened to us,” O’Neil said. “We are finally being included in Middletown’s history.”

In a statement, the Office of the Mayor said The Wangunk people are the native inhabitants and caretakers of the land in and around Middletown and have lived in the area for thousands of years.

The Wangunk people have persisted to this day through their resiliency and spirit. The city of Middletown honors the original custodians of this land, recognizes their many contributions to humanity, and seeks to be a community that acknowledges its history while striving to be inclusive of all peoples and cultures.

The proclamation will name Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognizing the Wangunk and Indigenous people everywhere.