How Columbus “Discovered” America NAC-52
In America, Columbus Day (on October 12th) overshadows Leif Erikson Day (on October 9th) to commemorate the “discovery” of America. Native Americans have always had a problem with the holiday because they discovered America centuries before the Europeans. The October 2014 issue of the Smithsonian Magazine said that there are now theories that Marco Polo may have visited Olshin (Chinese for the “land across the ocean”), albeit on the west coast of America. For sure, the Italian lobby in America has been greater than that of the Scandinavians and even Native Americans, so for the most part, we have a national holiday for Columbus, not Leif Erikson or Native Americans (Native Americans are trying to rectify it by calling it Indigenous Peoples’ Day). As for the Scandinavians, we might blame our Janteloven attitude of humility for not fighting for Leif Erikson and his proper recognition. I like to think that the Norwegian Americans realized they were not the first. (Of course, we know that we would never presume something that was untrue.)
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