National Indigenous Peoples Day is for celebrating, sharing Indigenous culture

June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day to recognize and celebrate the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada. 

For Steinbach resident Tahnee Hoff, this is a day to focus on the great things about her heritage and celebrate with other Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. 

“I think it’s just to focus on the celebration of our people,” she says. “I know there are a lot of horrific things that have happened in Canada’s history and with our people. I think that’s where most people’s minds tend to go right away. But I think this day is important for remembering the joy that our people have and celebrating our resiliency.” 

Hoff says growing up in Steinbach as a minority was much different when she was a child compared to what the community looks like today. 

“Now Steinbach has become so incredibly diverse which is so wonderful to see, as a minority,” she says. “I remember growing up and not seeing a whole lot of other minorities in general, never mind other Indigenous People. Growing up, having my status really didn’t mean a whole lot. But as I got older and started to connect with my culture more, that made it more meaningful.” 

Hoff is taking time today for a special celebration.  

“Me and my friend Stacy are spending our time in Winnipeg at the North End Women’s Centre, attending the sacred fire they’re having there from 1:00 to 2:30pm.” 

Rob Jessup lives in southeastern Manitoba and is from the Bear Clan. 

“Today marks a day where people who don’t know a lot about the Indigenous culture here on Turtle Island, can go almost anywhere in Manitoba, and in fact Canada, today and learn about the culture that exists through all the amazing ceremonies and events.” 

Jessup says the celebrations on June 21st offer a great opportunity for everyone to learn. 

“Our culture teaches us that everyone is welcome,” he says. “So, people don’t need a special invitation to go (to celebrations) and speak, and listen, and watch, and enjoy what’s going on.” 

Hoop dancer Kimberly Mason also lives in the Southeast. She was on stage this past weekend at Cultures in the City in Steinbach and loves sharing her culture with the public. 

“I like seeing the people’s expressions on their face and the inspiration they see when they see us perform,” she says. “I also like teaching others about Indigenous People and hoop dance. Mostly, I just like sharing my culture with everybody.”

Mason, 15, has been dancing for 8 years alongside her sister, Charisma who is 14 years old. The sisters have a busy summer schedule, performing and teaching in communities across the Prairies. They are also teaching workshops for children in La Broquerie. 

Both take pride in being band members of Fisher River Cree Nation with family ties from Gods Lake Narrows First Nation, the French Metis and the Norwegian community. 

Their parents, Ginger and Russell, are proud of the girls for having a desire to learn about their heritage and being eager to share it with others. 

Russell says National Indigenous Peoples Day is significant and needs to be celebrated. 

“It’s not too long ago that our people were not allowed to celebrate their culture,” he says. “They weren’t allowed to wear their hair long, or wear their regalia, even to dance the hoop dance and pow-wow dance, it wasn’t allowed. It was punishable by imprisonment in some cases. But nowadays, it’s welcomed, people are asking for it.” 

Metis Elder Lynne Robson from Richer encourages us to make it a positive day, filled with celebrating, learning and sharing.

“Take the goodness that is being Indigenous and hold it up high saying, ‘Look at this.’ And respect our culture, respect the sacredness of the earth and what we hold sacred in our ceremony, and share those. How do we become one people if we don’t share what we have, on both sides?” 

Robson says being Metis is to celebrate all her heritage, including her European background. Her hope is to encourage each person to learn about their own culture and then to share it with others, enriching lives along the way. 

“The beadwork that I do now, was taught by the Grey Nuns to Indigenous people and Indigenous children,” says Robson. “Embroidery was taught by Europeans to the Metis. The flower beadwork, most of the stuff came from Europe. It didn’t come from Canada, it didn’t come from my Oji-Cree grandmother, it came from my other grandmother who was European.”

For generations, many Indigenous groups and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on June 21 or around that time of year because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year. 

National Indigenous Peoples Day is part of the Celebrate Canada program, which also includes Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27 and Canada Day on July 1.