The Irish have raised over half a million dollars to support the Native American population during the global pandemic.
They are returning an act of charity from more than 170 years ago, during the Great Famine of Ireland.
In 1847, the Choctaw raised $170 to help the Irish who were starving to death during the Great Famine. The Choctaw originally lived in the Southwestern US – contemporary Alabama, Louisiana and Florida. Just like all other tribes, they were forced to move to the west away from their lands.
This forced migration is known as the Trail of Tears. Not only were the tribes forced to leave behind the lands that were sacrosanct in their culture, but also the journey itself was a miserable and dangerous one. Starvation and disease led to the death of many Choctaws as well.
When the Irish potato famine began, the forced migration via the Indian Removal Act had been completed just 16 years ago. Knowing the devastation and pain of losing loved ones, the Choctaw decided to help the Irish out of pure compassion and empathy as fellow human beings.
This beautiful tale recently got attention of social media users when an Irish journalist shared the story along with the links to the GoFundMe page on his twitter account. Naomi O’Leary said that the Native Americans gave so much when they had so little, and that it was time for them to give back.
The online fundraiser has raised over $2.5 million with a set goal of $3 million. The organizers said that they will use this money to provide immediate relief to the Navajo and Hopi community. One organizer said that they estimate around one-fifth of the total donation to be from Ireland.
The Native American community has been struck hard by Covid-19, exacerbated by the weak infrastructural basis in the reservations. Earlier this week, the Navajo Nation said that they had 2,400 confirmed cases and over 70 deaths from the virus.
The Irish and Native American community have continued to support each other since the 19th century. In 1992, a few Irish raised $170,000 by walking the Trail of Tears that stretched all the way from Mississippi to Oklahoma. The Choctaw returned the favor by walking the great famine route a few years later.
We salute both communities for their acts of graciousness and human compassion. Share this story with your friends, and be sure to follow us on Facebook for more stories like this one.
Replaced!