National Indigenous Peoples Day | 2023

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023 HONOURING

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS | SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2023

PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY

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SCO proudly celebrates our Anishinaabe and Dakota Nations

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Today and every day, we celebrate Indigenous Peoples. Happy Indigenous Peoples Day!

We are honoured to live and work on this incredible land. We recognize the immense impact of Indigenous Peoples throughout history and towards building the foundation for our shared future.

Learn what Manitoba Blue Cross is doing to honour Indigenous Peoples today and every day:

mb.bluecross.ca/journey

®*The Blue Cross symbol and name are registered marks of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans, independently licensed by Manitoba Blue Cross. †Blue Shield is a registered trade-mark of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. 2023-0314

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Diversity and inclusion are as important to us as they are to you.

For us, these are core values, so making business decisions that bring positive impact to our members, our communities and the environment is always at the heart of what we do. As we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, we remain committed to meaningful actions of reconciliation, and look forward to continuing this important journey together.

ACU.ca

Manitoba Public Insurance would like to acknowledge that our organization operates on the original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anish-Ininiwak, Dakota, Dene, Ininiwak and Nehethowuk and the homeland of the Métis. On this National Indigenous Peoples Day, we honour and celebrate all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across Canada. In our work delivering auto insurance and driver services throughout Manitoba, we are committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous individuals and communities through respectful and meaningful consultation and practices. We are also continually working on ways to strengthen the inclusivity of our organization, including ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse population of our province. If you are interested in a career with Manitoba Public Insurance, you can view current postings at: careers-mpi.icims.com We encourage you to declare your employment equity status when completing your online application.

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Elder Wanbdi Wakita shares wise words

BY WENDY KING

How should we observe National

Indigenous Peoples Day? It’s an important question. Maybe the proper place to find the answer is to seek wise counsel from Indigenous Elders. Wanbdi Wakita is Grandfather in Residence for the Access Program at University of Manitoba. He has fulfilled many roles in his lifetime: Chief of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and Sundance Chief, Peacekeeper in the Canadian Armed Forces, supporter of inmates in the corrections system, recipient of the Order of Manitoba. He is a residential school survivor. Perhaps his most important role is doing that which he calls Creator’s work: Wicasa Wakan (Holy Man). We asked Wanbdi Wakita for his thoughts this National Indigenous Peoples Day. These are some of the sentiments he shared:

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Elder Wanbdi Wakita PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY

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I would share words if they ask. But they don’t ask. But they tell you what to do, though. So why don’t we switch those things around? So listen a little bit. Think a little bit. Try to do good things. It’s not hard. It’s not hard to have respect. It’s not hard to be honest. Creator loves everybody. Creator’s work is sacred. And I’m understanding if you do sacred work, or God’s work, things are going to be good. That seems very simple. Creator is total love. I mean, that’s not hard to understand. I noticed that sometimes people have a hard time with that. With the word “love.” Every person that’s on this earth is important. All the natural laws on this earth, all over the world, are important. All the human being laws: respect, kindness, generosity, bravery, humility, all those words, there are hundreds of those words — and they are all laws and they come from Creator. And what we want to do is make sure we practise Creator’s laws so that things can be good. It always seems to work out good when you follow Creator’s laws. Always. But when you follow manmade laws, it always goes awry for some reason. We want to have a powwow place in the city of Winnipeg where Indigenous people can come and be free about displaying their culture and practising their culture, protecting their culture. And I’m wondering

if that’s important enough for that to happen. We want to have a place where we can freely celebrate. We want to be who we are. That’s what this National Indigenous People’s Day is all about — celebrating our way. June 21 is important just like any other day. We don’t celebrate just one day and be good and then just ignore the other days. We don’t do that. On that day, though, we honour each other. We share. We talk. We laugh. We have a memorial ceremony those days. We ask the medicines for help on those days. And we feed our ancestors — taking fish and dried meat and bannock and that kind of food to feed our ancestors. And the leftovers, there’s always leftovers. We share that with people. Common people, who want to do good. Who want to be kind. Who want to give their heart. Who want to know about the right and wrong. Who know about the holistic way of living. Who know that they have a sacred spirit. Those are very important things. I had a hard time in my lifetime, but I managed to pull through once I decided I was Dakota and not mixed up trying to be Canadian or Manitoban or what people told me I am. I’m not Canadian. I’m not Manitoban. I’m not a Winnipegger. I am Dakota. You, too. You’re somebody.

WE WANT TO BE WHO WE ARE. THAT’S WHAT THIS NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY IS ALL ABOUT — CELEBRATING OUR WAY. “ – Elder Wanbdi Wakita “

Proud to celebrate working with our partners to create opportunities for Indigenous youth for over twenty years. www.wasac.ca Proud to celebrate working with our partners to create opportunities for Indigenous youth for over twenty years. www.wasac.ca

Proud to with our opportunit youth for o www.was opportuni youth for

ud to celebrate working

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sport

The MASRC promotes benefits of SPORTS and RECREATION

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BY TODD LEWYS

Consequently, the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreational Council (MASRC) was born and later incorporated in 1994. For 35 years and counting, the MASRC has been tirelessly conceiving and co- ordinating sports and recreation programs in communities provincewide. Administering the programs is a labour of love for the staff at the MASRC, says Carriera Lamoureux, the organization’s director of special projects. “We truly believe in the benefits of sports and recreation,” she says. “The programs are all about creating spaces of connection and an atmosphere of belonging.” Year in and year out, the MASRC staff travel across the province, fine-tuning programs and creating new ones. And while staff members provide their input on what might work, the impetus behind programs comes from the communities themselves. “We’re always community-centred in our approach,” Lamoureux says. “We work directly with stakeholders and youths in a highly collaborative fashion.” The key to creating successful programs, she adds, is going into communities without any preconceived ideas about what their needs are. “One of the first things we ask is ‘What are your goals?’ It’s about what they need. We’re there to serve and want to work the best way we can with stakeholders because the goal with all programs is longevity,” she says. “Whenever we’re there, we want communities to know we’re there for them. Programs are designed to fit the sports and recreation needs of each community.”

Back in 1988, the Manitoba Métis Federation and Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs identified the need for a sport and recreation system that addressed the needs of young people in Indigenous communities across the province. Essentially, community leaders had perceived the need to help Indigenous people develop their body, mind and spirit to their full capacity to promote health and well-being.

CELEBRATING NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

The WCB is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace today and every day.

THE PROGRAMS ARE ALL ABOUT CREATING SPACES OF CONNECTION AND AN ATMOSPHERE OF BELONGING. “ – Carriera Lamoureux, MASRC director of special projects “

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SUBMITTED PHOTOS

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SUBMITTED PHOTOS

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Depending on the community, activities can range from ball hockey to basketball, run/walk sessions, self-defence and, of course, hockey. “For example, in Winnipeg, we have a North End Hockey Program that’s open to youth that live within the boundaries of the North End,” she says. “It’s a barrier-free program where we provide kids with equipment. Then they just go out and play.” At the same time, the MASRC also has an

affiliation with the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association. “We have five teams registered in the league from the ages of seven to eight up to 13 and 14,” Lamoureux says. “We also had teams take part in Hoop It Up, a three-on-three basketball tournament that was held at Red River Exhibition Park on May 20 and 21. We had teams entered from God’s Lake, Cross Lake and even Alberta.”

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Honouring National Indigenous Peoples Day

Offering programs to embrace the future while celebrating the cultural roots of our past.

The Manitoba Association for Resource Recovery Corp. (MARRC) manages the Used Oil & Antifreeze Recycling Programs. We are very much interested in assisting communities in the north with recycling used oil, filters, containers as well as antifreeze and its containers.

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IT’S NOT ABOUT WINNING AND LOSING. WE WANT TO UPLIFT YOUNG PEOPLE AND CARE FOR THE ENTIRE ATHLETE. “ “ – Carriera Lamoureux, MASRC director of special projects

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

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Other programs include Aboriginal Coaching Modules, Traditional Games, Urban Wellness, Sport for Social Development, Sport & Recreation Mentorship, X-Plore Sports and Community Visits. Lamoureux says the value of sport and recreation can’t be understated. “The impact of getting involved is enormous. Kids learn life skills and life lessons through sports,” she says. “Sports are a safe way to learn, since those experiences are confined to competition.” That’s why the staff at the MASRC are so passionate about getting youth involved in sport. “Getting involved helps develop a healthy self-image — that you’re worthy of the experience and deserve to be there,” she says.

“In the past, we had some kids that were scared to enter the gym. Now they’re thriving and have a much greater sense of self-worth.” As the past 35 years have shown, there is no downside to getting youth involved in sports and recreation. “Of course, we do develop some elite- level athletes but, for the most part, all our participants stay at the grassroots level. It’s all about the long-term impact — having positive experiences, making friends, learning life lessons and establishing a healthy lifestyle that’s going to continue for years to come,” Lamoureux says. “It’s not about winning and losing. We want to uplift young people and care for the entire athlete.”

HAPPY NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY!

Niki Ashton , MP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski Niki.Ashton@parl.gc.ca 1-866-785-0522

Leah Gazan , MP Winnipeg Centre Leah.Gazan@parl.gc.ca 204-984-1675

Daniel Blaikie , MP Elmwood—Transcona Daniel.Blaikie@parl.gc.ca 204-984-2499

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music & dance

Celebrate the spirit of music

Members of Walking Wolf Singers and Dancers and participants of Powwow Club at the University of Winnipeg. PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY

BY WENDY KING

Finding a meaningful path is the key to a good life. Walking Wolf, the leader of the Walking Wolf Dancers and Singers, found his when he first took a drum into his hands.

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Ray Stevenson (nicknamed “Coco” by his sister when they were very young) received the name Walking Wolf over 35 years ago in ceremony. It was here he was shown his path — and it has proven to be straight and true. “That’s when life changed for me. I grew up in the North End, and when it came to drugs and alcohol, that was my lifestyle,” he says. “But because of ceremony over 35 years ago, I changed and I’ve been drug- and alcohol-free.” Powwow and ceremony were something Stevenson never knew as a child. But as a troubled youth, he was given an opportunity to go to a sweat lodge. “I went to the sweat lodge for the first time just out of curiosity,” he says, “and the drum and the ceremony kind of did something to me.” Stevenson says it’s about having faith in a higher power. He says the drum touched his spirit and his soul. “I was able to sit at that drum and have respect for the spirit that belongs to that drum — and it’s the spirit that you talk to when you offer tobacco — and you ask that spirit to help you. Whether you’re having a

really bad day or when you need any help to overcome any major obstacle in life, you pray to that drum,” he says. “We call that drum a Grandfather — and a Grandfather Spirit is one that helps you when you have a hard time.” Stevenson’s path has taken him to work with the bands Eagle & Hawk and Indian City. It’s led him to world travel. “I’ve collaborated with different musicians including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,” he says. “We’ve performed together a few times already and I’m getting some of my songs scored so I can perform with them in October.” The drum also led Stevenson to start the Walking Wolf Singers and Dancers more than 25 years ago. The group features anywhere from 12 to 20 members, with the youngest at five years old as well as Elders who are residential school survivors. “I like to call it an educational performance because I talk about the songs. I talk about the dance, and after I do that, we actually sing for them and showcase each style of dance that we have in our troupe,” he says.

CPA Manitoba honours the Indigenous peoples of Canada on National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Learn more at: CPAmb.ca/Indigenous-news

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Explore the elements of our logo by Vincent Design:

Today we celebrate the valuable contribution Indigenous Peoples make to the fabric of our community.

Johnston Group proudly partners with Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council, Amik and Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce, to help Indigenous communities thrive. And our employee benefit products, CINUP and Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce Group Benefits Plan, are designed with the guidance of Indigenous organizations. For over three decades, we've built relationships with Indigenous businesses, bringing them together as one collective force to achieve marketplace power and enhance stability. We put together unique plans for traditional and non- traditional organizations to protect employees and their families. At Johnston Group, we believe in putting people first. johnstongroup.ca

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“ WE CALL THAT DRUM A GRANDFATHER — AND A GRANDFATHER SPIRIT IS ONE THAT HELPS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE A HARD TIME. – Ray Stevenson

“

SEE THE WALKING WOLF SINGERS AND DANCERS ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21 AT A LUNCHTIME PERFORMANCE AT CITY HALL AND IN A TRADITIONAL POWWOW LATER THAT DAY AT THE RED RIVER EX’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES APPRECIATION DAY.

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“The styles we currently have would be fancy shawl, jingle dress, women’s traditional, grass dance and men’s traditional.” Today, his knowledge of protocol for powwow and ceremony means he acts as a Knowledge Keeper and he is called on to consult for school divisions and universities. “I started doing powwow clubs in the North End where I grew up and now today you find not hundreds but thousands of young people who are totally interested and want to do it,” he says proudly. “One school division alone has over 450 dancers because of powwow clubs at their schools.” Ray Stevenson wanted to give others the opportunities he never had growing up. “When you have gifts like singing and other teachings and knowledge,” he says, “it’s important that you pass on that knowledge to the next generation so that it survives.” See the Walking Wolf Singers and Dancers on Wednesday, June 21 at a lunchtime performance at City Hall and in a traditional powwow later that day at the Red River Ex’s Indigenous Peoples Appreciation Day. Treaty and Manitoba Métis Federation cardholders will receive free admission from 3 to 5 p.m. They will also perform at the Winnipeg Folk Festival on July 8 and 9. Bookings are available through Folklorama at bookings@Folklorama.ca.

Ray “Coco” Stevenson started the Walking Wolf Singers and Dancers more than 25 years ago. PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY

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Brandon Wosniak , UM student, Métis living in Winnipeg “I don’t think I would be where I am today without the supports of the Access Program.”

DISCOVER THE PATH BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DREAMS Access Program

Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day!

Access students receive: • Academic Advising • Personal Counselling • Full-time Indigenous Unkan (Grandfather) • Student Aid Advisor

• Smaller Classes • Learning Labs

• Tutoring Hours Included

• Connection to the

Indigenous Community

IAN BUSHIE MLA for Keewatinook 204-363-7810

BERNADETTE SMITH MLA for Point Douglas 204-414-1477

NAHANNI FONTAINE MLA for St. Johns 204-582-1550

WAB KINEW MLA for Fort Rouge 204-615-1922

To learn more, visit umextended.ca/access or call 204-474-8000

DILJEET BRAR MLA for Burrows 204-415-7621

UZOMA ASAGWARA MLA for Union Station 204-306-8581

NELLO ALTOMARE MLA for Transcona 204-594-2025

ERIC REDHEAD MLA for Thompson 204-677-4789

LISA NAYLOR MLA for Wolseley 204-792-2773

JIM MALOWAY MLA for Elmwood 204-415-1122

ADRIEN SALA MLA for St. James 204-792-8779

MATT WIEBE MLA for Concordia 204-654-1857

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art

Ever-evolving

Unlike many businesses, COVID was a busy time for Dene Cree Designs. When they had to send their staff home, they focused their efforts online. Many people were looking for items to feather their nests as they were spending more time at home, and the Diamond collection, a series of home décor pieces featuring prints designed by Merasty and her husband, took off.

BY KRISTIN MARAND

INDIGENOUS ART IS MORE THAN A STYLE OR AN ESTHETIC. IT IS MULTIFACETED, MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND MULTIMEDIA. Like all art forms, Indigenous art is constantly evolving, coming from various geographical locations and featuring diverse voices and styles. From practical art you can wear and decorate your home with to large- scale thought-provoking pieces, Urban Shaman Gallery and Dene Cree Designs are just two places in Winnipeg where you can immerse yourself in contemporary Indigenous art. Dene Cree Designs started as a hobby. Christine Merasty created cell phone cases with Indigenous designs that she sold at powwows and conferences. The cases were so popular that she added other items with Indigenous designs. Christine and her husband sold products out of their home and garage until they needed more space to store all the products they were selling. They moved into their current location at 1761 Wellington Ave. three years ago.

“ IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY THAT WE ARE A CHANNEL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT OR SMALLER ARTISANS.

“

– Christine Merasty, Dene Cree Designs

“Everybody was at home and wanted to decorate their homes,” Merasty says. “I made the effort to add all our products onto the website, and then I started directing everybody to our website, and it just took off. We were just a small business in Manitoba with a few customers outside of Manitoba, and then it went rural Manitoba and Canada-wide and now we’re worldwide.”

Diamond collection. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY DENE CREE DESIGNS

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ai168572207111_FWS_IndigenousDay2023.pdf 1 6/2/2023 11:07:54 AM

“

THERE WERE A LOT OF INDIGENOUS ARTISTS WORKING IN CONTEMPORARY FORMATS. “ – Debbie Keeper, interim director

Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY

HONOURING NATIONAL

> continued from page 14 Currently, some of their most popular items are acrylic earrings, thanks to a shout-out and tag on Instagram from model and activist Ashley Callingbull. Callingbull recently wore a pair of Dene Cree Designs earrings on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival while attending Martin Scorsese’s new film Killers of the Flower Moon. Both Dene Cree Designs and Urban Shaman are 100 per cent Indigenous-run. They act as conduits for other artists and makers from all over Canada to find their audience. Merasty says this is one of the most gratifying aspects of seeing her business flourish. “It makes me feel so happy that we are a channel for people who are just starting out or smaller artisans. They send pictures to us, and we put them into our stores. I love that. It’s quite rewarding, and we’ve met so many people,” she says.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY On June 21, we celebrate the and contributions. It is a day to recognize and appreciate the rich diversity and history of these communities. Indigenous, Inuit and Metis Peoples by honouring their heritage, culture

CMY

FWSgroup.com

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Debbie Keeper and Theo Pelmus from Urban Shaman. PHOTOS BY DARCY FINLEY

URBAN SHAMAN CONTEMPORARY

ABORIGINAL ART IS AN ARTIST-RUN CENTRE AND GALLERY SPACE IN THE EXCHANGE DISTRICT.

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Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art is an artist-run centre and gallery space in the Exchange District. They are a nationally recognized leader in Indigenous arts programming in Canada. Urban Shaman offers exhibitions and associated programming, workshops, residencies and curatorial initiatives for artists at every stage of their career and gives voice to wide- ranging discourses surrounding contemporary Aboriginal art. “In the ’90s, there was not any exhibition space for Indigenous contemporary artists to show. At the time, there was a questioning and an assertion about what is Indigenous and Aboriginal art. People weren’t recognizing that we are an evolving and adaptable people and have had certain types of styles enforced on us,” says interim director Debbie Keeper, referring to what many people generally think of as Indigenous art such as soapstone carvings, printmaking, West Coast- style art or Woodland art. “There were a lot of Indigenous artists working in contemporary formats even back then, like digital media, installation, painting, [with] less focus on the pan-Indian style of art that the mainstream really loves — but that’s not what a lot of contemporary Indigenous artists are doing. They may be revisiting that in another way but more as exploration and a way to reclaim culture.” Urban Shaman is committed to challenging people’s notions of what Indigenous art is and how it can be appreciated. They are eager to create programming that can’t be housed in commercial spaces, such as large- scale installations or virtual reality.

They also offer an online experience to bring art to the viewer called the 360 gallery. After an exhibit is over, people can access a digital experience online. The archive lives on their website for around a year, allowing a wider audiences to see it and providing increased exposure for the artists. Urban Shaman is preparing for their monthly open house as part of First Fridays and a new exhibit featuring Ian Kuali’i— a mixed heritage Hawaiian and Apache artist who works with cut paper designs — that will open in July. They are also excited about an upcoming move into the Market Lands development in downtown Winnipeg. “It would mean a lot for us because we would finally have a street presence,” Keeper says. “We’ve been around since the mid-’90s, and a lot of Winnipeggers don’t even know we exist.”

MANITOBA MÉTIS FEDERATION

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

LOCATION: SELKIRK PARK, 486 EVELINE STREET, SELKIRK MB

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: PANCAKE BREAKFAST 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM: OPENING CEREMONIES AND REMARKS 1:00 PM - 7:00PM: BBQ AND RED RIVER MÉTIS ENTERTAINMENT FEATURING PERFORMANCES FROM: BILL SMOLINSKI (SOUND) • DAVE LAVALLEE • GLEN HEWGILL • MORGAN GRACE & KEITH • KEVIN CHIEF SQUARE-DANCERS • EDDIE FLEURY (METIS MAN IN BLACK) • MARK MORRISSEAU • DWIGHT KLATT • ART GLADU - DIAMOND • KINEW YOUTH DANCERS • JERRY SEREDA • DEAN & MARILYN DAVIS

JUNE 21, 2023

MANITOBA MÉTIS FEDERATION

MANITOBA MÉTIS

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ON JUNE 21 st we celebrate with you!

Proud supporter of Indigenous voices.

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The Asper School of Business is proud to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day Today and every day we celebrate Indigenous Business Education Partners (IBEP) at the Asper School of Business and the IBEP alumni making an impact and inspiring Indigenous leaders of tomorrow. Since 1994, IBEP has offered a welcoming community as well as tutoring, mentoring, scholarships, networking opportunities and more to First Nation, Métis and Inuit students in pursuit of their Bachelor of Commerce or MBA degree at Asper.

“IBEP was really one of the main reasons for my success. They created a community for me, to help me with my worst days and empower me to do the things that they knew I was capable of.” Carter Wilson [BComm(Hons)/18] Manager, MNP

“Getting post-secondary degrees is part of how we decolonize and move forward to rebuild our Nations and reclaim our participation in the economy of Canada.” Jim Thunder [MBA/17] Director of Economic Development, Norway House Cree Nation

“My first day of university, I met a bunch of students through IBEP. They provide a great community that makes you want to keep giving back. It opened up a ton of other opportunities for me as well.” Cassandra Phaneuf [BComm(Hons)/22] Actuarial Analyst, Intact

umanitoba.ca/asper/ibep

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Celebrating Mihskakwan James Harper

Clean energy visionary and Indigenous mentor

Mr. Harper further honours his Indigenous identity by giving back. He has lectured on decolonizing engineering, mentored Indigenous youth relocating to Winnipeg for education, and presented a national policy resolution addressing the Indigenous youth suicide crisis. Last month, it was announced that Mr. Harper will receive UM’s Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Young Alumni for 2023. The University of Manitoba honours Mihskakwan James Harper for his outstanding and continuing contributions.

A proud citizen of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 8 Territory, Mihskakwan James Harper [BSc(ME)/17] is passionate about creating a world that future generations can enjoy. While studying engineering at the University of Manitoba, Mr. Harper served on the student council for the Engineering Access Program (ENGAP), which supports Indigenous engineering students, and built an energy-efficient car that competed in the International Shell Eco-marathon Americas. Since graduating, Mr. Harper has shared his knowledge about clean energy at international conferences, including the United Nations Climate Conferences COP 26 and COP 27. He credits his innate drive to protect the earth to his cultural values.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING.

Scan the QR code to learn more about Mr. Harper’s work

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