Portage la Prairie celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day today with official recognition and community festivities. Mayor Sharilyn Knox and City Council issued a formal proclamation honoring the day, followed by public celebrations starting at Stride Place.
City officially recognizes significance
Mayor Knox and Council formally proclaimed June 21st as National Indigenous Peoples Day in Portage la Prairie. Lori Anderson, Administrative Assistant at the Portage Friendship Centre, attended the signing and shared her appreciation.
"It was a great event to be included at... to honour and value all the contributions that Canadian society and Canada’s First Nation, Inuit and Métis people [have made]. It's good to be recognized, to have our national First Peoples Day recognized."
Darcy Anderson, an Insight Mentor at the Friendship Centre, also present, expressed her feelings.
"I was quite honoured to be included in the signing of the proclamation for indigenous people. I think it was a great privilege for us to be recognized by the mayor and the city of Portage la Prairie. It's just an honour to be part of the organization and to be recognized as Métis in the city of Portage."
Mayor Knox emphasized the day's importance to Council and the community in a statement, saying:
"Our Council finds it very important to recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day here in Portage la Prairie. The day is a time to celebrate the cultures, the histories and the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people that are all part of making up who we are. It is really a chance for us to come together as a community, to listen, to learn and to keep moving forward in the path of reconciliation. We, as a Council, are really looking forward to being part of the celebrations this Saturday."
Community celebration at Stride Place
Later today, the community gathers at the Island Park Ukranian Bandstand for a day of festivities organized by the Portage Friendship Centre and partners. Gina Emms from the Friendship Centre encourages everyone to attend for fun and learning.
"It’s a great day for us to get together and share with our community some of the things that we enjoy as indigenous people. It’s a great time to spend with our elders, our youth and our children. There are so many questions people have that it's sometimes difficult to find the person to ask those questions to. [Today] is a great day to do that."
The event features a free lunch, powwow demonstrations, drumming by Magnus Roulette and youth, music from Johnny Dietrich and Gary Lepin, Nigerian performers, teachings from Debbie Parker and Angela Roulette, children’s games, and draws supporting Friendship Centre programming. Lauren McKay of the PCRC highlighted the inclusive spirit.
"It’s a great opportunity for the youth elders as well as indigenous and non indigenous to come together to celebrate indigenous culture, and we hope to have this day to celebrate not only just indigenous culture, but all cultures. Just showing up is just one perfect way to support."
Mayor Knox reiterated the invitation, especially to those new to such events.
"It’s important that non indigenous people get involved because that's how we do it. If you go to one of these types of events or celebrations, I really want people to look around and see that these children are really learning. We as adults have to go and seek that out.", she says, and goes on to add that, "These types of days, where there are celebrations, where there are feasts, and there is entertainment, and all of those things are the perfect way to do it. So I just invite everybody to come out. If you're scared, if you're nervous, if you've never been to one, you know you know where to find me. Come on out."
The National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration runs at Stride Place today. All community members are welcome to join in the festivities, enjoy the free lunch, experience cultural teachings, and enjoy the entertainment.
~with files from Ryan Simpson