National Indigenous Peoples Day

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY FRIDAY, JUNE 21 | 3 BY JENNIFER MCFEE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY RECOGNIZES THE CULTURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF FIRST NATIONS, INUIT AND MÉTIS PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. T he June 21 festivities coincide with the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, which has long been a time of celebration for Indigenous communities throughout the generations. In 1996, the Government of Canada first declared June 21 as National Aboriginal Day after consultations with various Indigenous groups. Then in 2017, the name changed to National Indigenous Peoples Day. For Lorena Fontaine, Indigenous academic lead for the University of Winnipeg, it's a day to celebrate — but it's also a time to reflect on issues that still need attention. "I think it's an important day for Indigenous people and Canadians to celebrate and acknowledge Indigenous peoples. However, there's still a lot of outstanding areas that need to be addressed in Canada," Fontaine said. "A lot of the events are happy, but I think we also need to be aware of the people that are really struggling, such as those in the child welfare system and those in jail that are feeling very isolated." Fontaine also points to ongoing issues such as poverty and high suicide rates. At the same time, many Indigenous languages have reached a crisis point as the population of speakers continues to dwindle. "All the languages are endangered, but some languages are going to be gone within the next couple of years if some resources and efforts aren't put towards revitalizing them," she said. "Languages are dying, and we need to acknowledge that." In spite of these challenges, Sheila North reflects on the potential for positive change. "I think there is a move to change the narrative about who Indigenous people are in this country. Despite all the things that have happened over the generations, we Indigenous people are resilient — and that needs to be celebrated and honoured," said North, who is the director of the Centre for Indigenous Community Development at the University College of the North. "Implementing the treaties will start to do that. Many generations ago, Indigenous people agreed to share the land and welcome newcomers, but only one end of that deal is held up at this point. That's why we see the high poverty rates and the social ills that we hear about a lot. It's because we don't have access to the type of resources that we need to sustain ourselves and our families." Education and employment opportunities are essential in all communities, she added. "The more we fight together as a nation to give proper education to every child and every student in the country, we'll all be better off for it," said North, former grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak. "Our people are very hard working and they love to learn. When you give them the proper tools they need to succeed, they exceed expectations." National Indigenous Peoples Day is also a time to reflect on the contributions of people who have paved the way towards a brighter future, notes Ruth Shead, co-ordinator of Indigenous achievement for the University of Manitoba. "The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has done so much work. There have been so many survivors who have shared their stories and faced re-traumatization in order for us to all move forward together," Shead said. "I think about my grandma, who went to residential school. Some really heavy lifting was done by the people who weren't accepted everywhere. Now there is celebration and pride, and it's all because of the people that came before us. Hopefully we can leave something better for the next generation." EDUCATION FOR A BETTER WORLD BOOTHUC.CA Celebrating Together National Indigenous Peoples Day Reflections on National Indigenous Peoples Day "I think there is a move to change the narrative about who Indigenous people are in this country. Despite all the things that have happened over the generations, we Indigenous people are resilient — and that needs to be celebrated and honoured." – Sheila North, director of the Centre for Indigenous Community Development at the University College of the North. From left: Lorena Fontaine, Indigenous academic lead for the University of Winnipeg; Sheila North, director of the Centre for Indigenous Community Development at the University College of the North; Ruth Shead, co-ordinator of Indigenous achievement for the University of Manitoba. CELEBRATING NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY gardewine.com 13751-GW-SponsorAd [CelebratingNationalIndigenousPeoplesDay][5.125x2.75] June2019-FNL.indd 1 2019-06-04 10:27 AM

• Cover