Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
A wide range of events are being organized for this year’s National Indigenous Peoples Day.
National Indigenous Peoples Day honours and celebrates the traditions and achievements of Canada’s First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples.
The day was first observed in 1996, when it was declared by then-Governor General of Canada Roméo LeBlanc to be observed annually on the 21 of June.
This year for National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s Education Department will be one of the many groups helping to organize a wide range of different events and activities to celebrate the day.
Lillian Sanderson, one of the organizers of the event, said LLRIB will host an honour walk and parade as part of the day’s festivities.
“What we do have planned is a morning pipe ceremony that starts at 8 o’clock in the morning; at 11 o’clock there is going to be an honour walk and a parade, and so we of course invite our community to participate in the parade,” said Sanderson. “There are all kinds of activities being planned; we have the Woodland Cree Cultural Village; we also have a children’s village that is over at Patterson Park. We will be having entertainment, both youth and adult activities, which include canoe races, horseshoe tournaments, beach volleyball tournaments, and with the children’s village, there are all kinds of activities going on there for the children, like nail pounding, tug of war, log carrying, log sawing, jigging, and animal calling, so we’ll have a whole bunch of things going on for that day.”
Along with the various activities, a fish fry supper will be hosted for all community members at 5:30 p.m., fireworks and live bands taking place later in the evening.
National Indigenous Peoples Day will be held Wednesday, with the first of the events starting at 8 a.m.
In Prince Albert
National Indigenous Peoples Day activities are taking place on the river bank starting at 8 in the morning. There will be a grand entry at noon followed by food and activities. Closing ceremonies at 9 in the evening with fireworks set to go at 10.
At 11 in the morning a unity parade is set to go a Kinsmen Park.
In Regina,
Victoria Park is the place to be on National Indigenous Peoples Day, as organizers will bring you a full complement of Canada’s Indigenous cultures.
The Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Network will have a cornucopia of activities, vendors and entertainers.
While family-friendly activities start at 10AM, a Grand Entry will kick-off the festivities at 11.
Enjoy Indigenous performers as they share their traditions and stories through music, dance, and theater with the Creeland Dancers, Dean Smith Band, Sila Singers – Inuuk Throat Singing, Kawacatoose Boys including a drum group and Powwow Dancers.
“It has been a tough few years for the Indigenous community. So, it is important for us to bring life, light and art to our city, said Keiza Pynn, an Indigenous Advisory with Regina.
Zoey Roy, a Dene and Metis Spoken Word Artist will emcee the festivities, but also present.
Children can enjoy face painting, First Nations cultural teachings, Métis jigging, Cree syllabics, Inuit games, beaded keychains, Red River Cart, NIPD button making, and a coloring station. The Farmer’s Market will also present Indigenous craft fair.
The event is from 10 AM to 1:30 PM at Victoria Park.
For Saskatoon,
In the City of Bridges, the Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre are holding festivities throughout the day.
The SIMFC will be hosting a grand entry, lunch and activities. In years past, mayor and council from the City of Saskatoon have participated in the Rock Your Roots walk usually held annually on Indigenous Peoples Day.
However, that walk was moved to coincide with Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30th. A representative for the city says mayor and council will be participating in the SIMFC event on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Wanuskewin Heritage Park will be hosting a day long series of events north of the city.
Wanuskewin will feature several traditional dance presentations, guided walks and programming, hide tanning, and what Wanuskewin is calling a “really, really, really Antique Road Show” with archeologist Dr. Ernie Walker. Keynote speaker for the day will be Terry Bear-Linklater.
In North Battleford,
The City of North Battleford, will unveil and raise the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan flag at City Hall.
The MN-S flag will join the Treaty 6 Flag, City of North Battleford Flag, Saskatchewan Flag, and the Canadian Flag on permanent display – honouring the culture and history Treaty 6 Territory and the Heartland of the Métis.
You are invited to attend and mark this important occasion at City Hall (1292-101st Street, North Battleford) at 10:00am-10:30am
In Wollaston Lake,
Meanwhile, to mark Indigenous People’s Day, Wollaston Lake will be hosting that communities first ever Pride parade.
Organizer Edward Benoanie told MBC Radio News it means a lot to be a part of the first ever pride parade in the community.
“So we want to have this parade to educate and bring awareness to the issues facing queer people to this day,” said Benoanie who encouraged everyone in the community to come out. “Just physically being there with the students and the youth makes such a big impact for these future leaders.”
Benoanie, a teacher at the local school, says this initiative was entirely youth-led.