National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration in Prince Albert. (File photo/paNOW)

By paNOW Staff

Great Meeting Place

National Indigenous People’s Day Kistapinânihk

Jun 20, 2023 | 6:27 PM

Kistapinânihk is the original Cree word for the Prince Albert area meaning ‘Great Meeting Place.’

And that’s exactly what the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) hopes to create along the riverbank Wednesday – a meeting place for Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike to celebrate and learn.

The Government of Canada officially recognized June 21^st as National Indigenous People’s Day in 1996. It’s a way to honour Indigenous heritage, diversity, and cultures as well as the outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples throughout the country.

But for event organizer Shane Bird, its also an opportunity to build awareness and educate. Bird is the Healing on the Land coordinator for PAGC Holistic Wellness.

“We need to come together as one community and so we need to help educate each other to foster a better understanding so that going forward we can come together as one,” Bird said. “We’re trying to create opportunity, not just for ourselves, but for the brighter future of our unborn. What kind of legacy are we going to leave behind growing up in a beautiful city like this?”

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An Indigenous village has been set up along the riverbank to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day 2023. (PaNOW)

The ultimate goal in building cultural understanding is to help create a path toward reconciliation. The public is invited to participate in the full day of festivities on the riverbank which has been transformed into a village of sorts with several teepees and tents. A pipe ceremony will start the day around 8 a.m.

“There will be a unity parade at Kinsmen park at 11 a.m. and it will come down Central Avenue to the Indigenous village on the riverbank. The food and activities will start shortly after.”

Those activities include a jigging contest, trapper events and demonstrations, drums teachings, storytelling, traditional crafts and Dene hand games. There will also be a neck-bone eating contest, a fish fry and stew and bannock will be served for free until quantities last.

“We will also have a moose hide scraping and meat smoking and medicine teachings to share throughout the day. We have a huge entertainment lineup including Chester Knight and Donny Parenteau.” said Bird.

Closing ceremonies at 9 p.m. will be followed by a fireworks display at 10 p.m. sponsored by Sturgeon Lake Development.

As the nation begins to heal from some of the atrocities in its past, Janet Carriere, Executive Director of the Prince Albert Indian and Métis Friendship Centre said its important for everyone to take steps to educate themselves.

“They can reach out to us and our organizations. The Friendship Centre is going to be providing some cultural training in the future. They can ask any Indigenous person questions. Adding an event like this is a good, fun way to learn and not be scared to ask questions respectfully,” said Carriere.

“We want to create a better future of equality for our Indigenous children. I know some people will take offence to that statement and say there is equal opportunity, but once they learn the history and educate themselves, they will understand that I [as a Métis woman] carry white privilege and Shane does not. So, our opportunity is not equal. My opportunity is better than Shane’s and we need to understand that and get rid of that,” she added.

You can read more about National Indigenous History Month and People’s Day here.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com