X
Jun. 21, 2021

National Indigenous Peoples Day

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The month of June is also National Indigenous History Month–a month meant to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous communities. As you know, the recent tragic discovery of a mass grave with 215 children at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School has shone yet another light on the historic injustices inflicted on Indigenous peoples and the intergenerational trauma and systemic racism that exists today. While this remains heavy in our hearts, we recognize that the appreciation of cultures and traditions of Indigenous Peoples is what opens the doors to conversation, understanding and reconciliation. We respectfully acknowledge that we live, work and play on the unceded traditional territory of the We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, and K'omoks First Nations. We honour the presence and power of these First Nations, and all other First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples whose territories we reside on and thank them for their grace and tolerance. With the help of Habitat for Humanity Canada, we've outlined a list of resources and activities, some of which can be done together as a family to honour and celebrate this day.

Resources

  1. Know whose land you are on. If you are non-Indigenous, you are occupying land that is being colonized. You are a settler. To have a greater understanding of the land’s original caregivers and history, visit Whose Land, an educational tool and interactive map. It is useful for understanding Indigenous treaties and communities across Canada. The website offers videos of appropriate land acknowledgments as well as some great Frequently Asked Questions. The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) also has a Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples and Traditional Territory. The Habitat team has started incorporating a land acknowledgement and learning at the beginning of each of our leadership meetings, something that we value and look forward to.
  1. Learn some Indigenous language. Just as a responsible and courteous traveler learns some basic language skills before immersing oneself in a culture and place that is not familiar, so should Canadians with Indigenous languages. There is a nation-wide push for Indigenous language revitalization and for some to be recognized as official languages. Learn more about how to support the revitalization with this Guide to Indigenous Languages in Canada. In the short term, you could make someone's day by taking the time and respect to learn a few greeting and parting words.
  2. Celebrate Indigenous Peoples in Canada with this learning and activity guide.
  3. Make some beautiful bracelets with this Indigenous weaving technique.
  4. Know the protocol. Take the time before going to powwows or a ceremony to understand the protocol, through research or by kindly asking a volunteer or worker once you’ve arrived. Read A Guide to Taking Your Family to a Powwow for the First Time (available on CBC) for some powwow protocol.
  5. Learn some Indigenous stories such as the Ojibway story of Turtle Island (aka North America), the The Owl and the Raven: An Inuit Legend and The Giving Tree: A Retelling of a Traditional Métis Story.
  6. Get curious about Indigenous literature:
  • The Canadian Children’s Book Centre has compiled a list of First Nations, Inuit and Métis books for libraries and classrooms.
  • The Government of Canada has compiled an #IndigenousReads reading list.
  • CBC has shared a list of “35 books to read for National Indigenous History Month” as well as a 2017 list on “108 Indigenous writers to read, as recommended by you”.
  1. Understand what allyship to Indigenous people can look like. An outline of allyship and responsibilities by an Anishinaabe-kwe scholar can be found in the Ally Bill of Responsibilities. If you’re concerned about practicing allyship appropriately, this is helpful to review.
  1. Understand that it is not the job of Indigenous people to teach you. Métis-Irish author, Melanie Lefebrve, wrote, “If you don’t have time to educate yourself, then I can’t help you, in "It’s Not My Job to Teach You about Indigenous People" published in The Walrus. Individuals should not expect that all Indigenous people are experts on all things Indigenous, nor that they have the time or energy to teach. Google can be a great start in educating yourself.
  2. Support Indigenous businesses and services. There are many Indigenous businesses and services that would benefit from non-Indigenous customers, and shopping with them can be a great way to support Indigenous people. Visit the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses Membership Directory to find an array of Indigenous businesses from across Canada (search by province, name or sector).
  3. Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Call to Action Report. The TRC was a part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and had a mandate to document and prepare a comprehensive historical record on the policies and operations of the schools and produce a report that includes recommendations to the Government of Canada. The TRC completed its work in 2015.
  4. Read about the new National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. Survivors of residential schools and their families carry the burden of the tragedy in Kamloops, but the deaths of residential school children impact every person on this land. The call for a National Day of Mourning was one of 94 recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Related

Team Build Day with MNP at Campbell River ReStore

The team from MNP in Campbell River helped us with projects around the store, and donated a generous $2,500 to support affordable housing in our community.
Read more

Habitat for Humanity Celebrates 20 Years on Vancouver Island North

We’re celebrating 20 years of building homes, communities, and hope! Read 20 decades of volunteer stories, celebrate with our supporters and learn about how you can get involved.
Read more