The City of Moose Jaw, the Moose Jaw Public Library, and the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture will co-host a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration on June 20.
While National Indigenous Peoples Day is officially observed on June 21, the celebration will be held a day earlier to allow schools to participate.
“It is open to all schools. The calls have been put out to their board offices to participate and we’re accepting registration from classrooms up until we hit capacity,” said City of Moose Jaw manager of communications and stakeholder relations Hayley Hart-Rushinko.
The event will be scaled back compared to previous years. Instead of a full-day program, it will feature a morning of performances from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Peacock Centennial Auditorium.
Hart-Rushinko spoke about the importance of recognizing days such as National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“These are all very important to highlight Moose Jaw’s history, where Moose Jaw is now, our own reconciliation journey, and a part of that is celebrating all Métis and First Nation community members within our community and beyond, and those who have had some kind of impact on the City of Moose Jaw throughout the years,” she said.
The celebration will begin with an opening prayer from knowledge keeper and president of the New Southern Plains Métis Local #160, Darrell Hawman.
Performances will include Calvin Kaye and the Cree Spirit Drum Group from Kawacatoose First Nation (drummers and hoop dancers), as well as the Métis Thunder New Southern Plains Métis Jiggers.
The celebration is free and open to the public. Hart-Rushinko said the event wouldn’t have been possible without support from their partners.
“We’re very lucky that there is so much excitement for days like National Indigenous Peoples Day,” she said.
Interested classrooms from Grades 1 to 8 can contact Gwen Fisher to reserve seats by emailing gfisher@mjlibrary.ca or calling 306-692-2787.