Indigenous Community Gathering Thursday at Oshawa’s Arts Resource Centre
Published June 21, 2022 at 9:13 am
Today is National Indigenous People Day across North America, an official day of celebration to recognize and honour the achievements, history and rich cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.
The entire month of June has been declared National Indigenous History Month; a chance for all Canadians to learn about the contributions and the sacrifices the Indigenous community has made, and the invite is out to the Indigenous community and all its allies to honour those sacrifices with a community gathering Thursday evening in Oshawa.
Bawaajigewin Aboriginal Community Circle and the City of Oshawa are inviting the greater community to the Arts Resource Centre (45 Queen Street) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday to enjoy crafts, music and traditional snacks – with a few door prizes available as well.
National Indigenous Peoples Day (then called National Aboriginal Day) was first declared in Canada in 1996.
In the USA, what started in 1977 as a day of respect at a discrimination conference has now become a national holiday.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which honors Native American history and culture, falls on the calendar the same day Columbus Day, first recognized as a national holiday in 1934. Considering Christopher Columbus’ genocidal past, there is a growing trend to replace Columbus Day on the calendar with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
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Ontario Tech University is also celebrating National Indigenous Day and school president Dr. Steven Murphy said a “vital aspect” of bridging gaps between communities involves education, listening, learning and teaching.
“One of the most important ways we can honour our Canadian citizenship is by recognizing and learning more about the rich histories, diverse cultures and significant contributions of Indigenous peoples. On June 21, I encourage our campus community to commit to sincere reflection on the legacies of colonialism and how we, Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples together, can build new, respectful and mutually beneficial relationships in Canada.”