Commemorating National Indigenous Peoples Day

PREVNet is located at Queen’s University, situated on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. As settlers, we are grateful for the opportunity to meet, work, and play here and we thank all the generations of people who have taken care of this land for thousands of years. 

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day to acknowledge and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. The day is also a time to recognize “Canada’s colonial history, the contemporary issues and realities of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous futurism,” says Larissa Crawford. Read Larissa Crawford’s article “What, Why, and How to Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day” here.

Here are some ways to commemorate National Indigenous Peoples Day this weekend:

Celebrate

• Watch a Social Distance Pow Wow. The Summer Solstice Social Distance Pow Wow will be broadcast online Friday through Sunday.
• Watch the 2020 Indspire Awards, celebrating Indigenous achievement. Broadcast on CBC, CBC Radio, CBC GEM, and APTN on Sunday June 21, 2020 at 8:00pm EST
• Use or view #treatyeducationNIPD or #NIPD on Twitter to post or see photos and videos in celebration of Indigenous culture and language.
• Kids can participate in games and activities with the Celebrating Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Learning and Activity Guide.
• Due to physical distancing restrictions, many events are now being held online! Check out these events no matter where you are:
  • National Indigenous Peoples Day Brampton
  • MACSI Virtual Celebrations of National Indigenous Peoples Day
  • Saskatoon Indian & Métis Friendship Centre National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration
  • Fraser River Indigenous Society National Indigenous Peoples Day livestream
  • Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre 2020 National Indigenous Peoples Day (Virtual Festival)

Art

• Listen to fantastic Indigenous musicians, such as Tanya Tagaq, Drezus, Buffy Sainte-Marie, A Tribe Called Red, and more.
• Laugh along with your favourite Indigenous comedians.
• Watch an Indigenous-made film or documentary, like Angry Inuk, The Grizzlies, Kayak to Klemtu, and more.
• Listen to a podcast such as Unreserved, Coffee with my Ma, Métis in Space, and more
• Participate in a culinary or arts and crafts workshop, or watch a pre-recorded video to follow along on your own!
• Support Indigenous artists and Indigenous-owned businesses in your area!

Learn

• The University of Alberta offers online Indigenous Canada courses, some of which are free!
• If you’re non-Indigenous, learn more about whose land you’re on. You can learn about Indigenous Nations, territories, and Indigenous communities with websites like Whose Land and Native Land.
• Many Indigenous languages are spoken in Canada. The Algonquian language family, which includes Cree, Ojibway, Innu and Oji-Cree, is the most commonly spoken language family, followed by Inuktut and Athapaskan language (source). Resources such as YouTube and Duolingo can help you learn a few words and phrases (or more!) in a new language.
• Review the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action. Spirit Bear’s Guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action offers an easy-to-understand option for children.
• Check out these “Rule of Law” learning resources from Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Professor of Social Work at McGill University.
• Read a book by an Indigenous author. Lists of book recommendations can be found by using these terms and hashtags in social media and search engines:
  • Reading for Reconciliation;
  • #ReadIndigenous; and
  • #IndigenousReads

LGBTQ2SIA+

• Watch this video from them. about What is Two Spirit?
• Read about “Two Spirit Role Models” James Makokis and Anthony Johnson