Whether you wish to spend National Indigenous Peoples Day at an event, reading about Indigenous culture or history, or contemplating with your family or friends what your role might be in reconciliation, we have a list of ideas to get you started.
National Indigenous Peoples Day Events
It’s beautiful that the day lands on June 21 each year, the summer solstice. This day is the beginning of berry picking season, powwows and many significant gatherings for Indigenous People across Canada. Indigenous organizations, sometimes with non-Indigenous partners, host events that celebrate and share their culture. A growing number of nations and urban organizations invite the general public to join in the celebrations, offering great chances to learn more about local customs and stories, enjoy dancing and taste traditional foods.
There are quite a few sources for events, readily accessible with a quick Google search. We also recommend checking out Indigenous Tourism BC, which lists National Indigenous Peoples Day events across the province. The Federal government has an interactive map with events, although few are outside of the Lower Mainland
Take a Day for Reading
If you would prefer to spend the day reading about Indigenous culture or the effects of colonization on Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, there is a broad array of books, videos, learning guides, websites and other materials – once you know what to look for.
An excellent place to start is A Brief Definition of Decolonization and Indigenization from the Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., which provides a simple, concise background to the need for change in Canada.
You may wish to follow that with a new, one-page resource created by Lisa Wilson (St’at’imc/Maskékowak), a fourth year social work student in Kamloops. Indigenous Cultural Safety – Somewhere to Start is a comprehensive guide that catalogues a broad range of topics and where to learn about them. The guide is divided by subject and links to each resource, from territorial acknowledgements, correct terminology and significant dates to research reports, historical context, and cultural safety and anti-racism learning materials.
The BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres website also has a great reading list, including many reports and educational resources on the issues at hand, how to contribute to the equity of Indigenous people, how to be a good ally and more.
Indigenous Fiction Teaches History, Hope and the Truth
There is a growing list of Indigenous publishers in Canada, which means that in addition to mainstream publishers much more literature is being produced. For National Indigenous History Month (yes, June is a whole month to learn and celebrate), author Michelle Good curated a list of 30 must-read books. She very humbly did not include her own books, Five Little Indians, and her new book, Truth Telling. Some critics are saying these two books should be mandatory reading for all Canadians.
Here are some more links to help you with your reading list, including books to share with children:
- 48 books by Indigenous writers to read to understand residential schools
- 17 books for kids and young adults to read for National Indigenous History Month 2022
- 25 books that highlight beauty of Indigenous literature: ‘It is time to tell our own stories our way’
- 5 Indigenous heroes you’ll learn about on the This Place podcast
Host an Event During National Indigenous History Month
CRNs are invited to reach out to their communities and partner with local Indigenous members to host an event for their clients or staff. Often, elders are very happy to attend events to share cultural learnings, teach a craft or support other programs. Elders are revered knowledge keepers, advisors and community leaders who are treated with respect and dignity. Be sure to read up on Elder Protocol as well as ask the band manager, Friendship Centre or other contact about local protocols, including the amount of honorarium to be paid.
This is a great opportunity for an intergenerational event, or to introduce seniors to an Indigenous senior with whom they may relate on a generational level. In any case, creating a safe and respectful learning environment may be a first step towards reconciliation for some participants.
However you spend National Indigenous Peoples Day, make it a time for learning, reflection and celebration of these beautiful and diverse cultures across BC and Canada. And for our Indigenous readers, thank you for sharing your local culture with your non-Indigenous neighbours.
Cover image credit: Govt of Canada.
