June 21 : National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day for everyone to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of Indigenous peoples across the country. It is also a day to recognize the struggles faced by Indigenous Peoples both historically and today.
The day was first recognized in 1996. June 21 was chosen for many reasons, including its cultural significance as the Summer solstice, and the fact that it is a day on which many Indigenous peoples and communities traditionally celebrate their heritage.
From sea to sea to sea, there are activities organized around June 21 to showcase and celebrate the richness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis culture and history. You can find a list of just some of these activities here.
There is a sombre aspect to National Indigenous Peoples Day. In May 2021, the people of the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation learned that the remains of 215 children – some as young as three – who had attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School had been found on the grounds of the school. In the years since, that number has grown into the thousands, with more bodies being discovered on the grounds of residential schools across the country.
This is not ancient history. Survivors of residential schools are still alive. These are living memories.
For settlers on unceded land, not looking away is a first step toward reparation and reconciliation. The JLP is proud to make space to discuss prejudice, stigma and discrimination against Indigenous Peoples in its in-person workshop entitled Respecting Differences / Anti-Discrimination, and in its virtual discussion, Anti-Racism: Let’s Talk!
Photo by Galen Crout on Unsplash.com