FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes are hosting two days of events this weekend in observance of “Indian Day,” an annual holiday that seeks to honor Native Americans and their indigenous traditions and teachings.

The Fort Hall Business Council more than 30 years ago decreed the last Friday in September every year as “Indian Day” to ensure the holiday would be celebrated annually by people on the Fort Hall Reservation and in nearby communities.

The locally designated day aligns with California’s Sept. 22 Native American Day and the nationally recognized Indigenous People’s Day on Oct. 9.

“It’s a day to celebrate, and for those of us who come from this heritage to remain proud of who we are, where we come from and our contributions to our country,” said Dustina Abrahamson, the Tribes Indian Day coordinator. “It’s also to say that Native American, Indian people, we are still here, and we do still contribute a lot to our country, so it’s overall an opportunity to celebrate and to educate.”

The celebration will kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, with a Community Social Powwow at Timbee Hall, which will feature local leaders, prizes and activities.

The following day on Saturday, there will be a parade starting at 10 a.m. and a Contest Powwow with different age categories and several dance styles, including traditional, grass and jingle. The contests will start at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, the last races of the Indian Relay Races this year will be at noon at the rodeo grounds.

An Indian Day Royalty Pageant will be held for kids ranging from under 3 years old up to 17 years old. There will also be a distribution of potatoes donated by Wada Farms on Friday at 10 a.m. on the south side of the TBC parking lot.

Abrahamson said people in the community look forward to this event every year.

“It’s something that’s small, but it’s our community,” she said. “It’s the beauty of our culture and that we’re still here and we’re able to share it with everyone here today. We give thanks to our ancestors for everything went through. They survived and we’re here today.”

The theme for this year’s Indian Day celebrations is “Celebrating Our Indigenous Teachings.” Abrahamson said it’s important to her and other indigenous people that the teachings that have been passed down through generations continue to be shared with young people so that they endure for many more generations.

“Our hope is that this celebration carries on with our kids so that when I’m long gone, we still have wonderful events that celebrate and encourage our young people and our local community to be a part of it,” she said. “We want to teach others, no matter where they come from, so they understand. When all of us have a better understanding, we can see from others’ perspective.”