June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. Canadians are making progress. We truly are. My morning TV news show was chock full of interviews of successful, highly accomplished First Nations, Inuit, and Metis movers and shakers, business owner entrepreneurs. I am taping the Indspire Awards on Tuesday, where they honour those who have made a mark.
Some mayors are trading in Canada Day celebrations for a day of reflection. I'm for that. When someone in your family is facing a funeral, you don't carry on as if life is normal.
In the meantime, there are many white settlers still claiming that our founding fathers weren't all bad. We know better. Not that Canada was any worse than the US, or any other colonial settlers, but we must come forward. Like this: A convoy of trucks rolled through Ottawa to Parliament Hill as a 'Convoy of Reconciliation.'
Cindy Blackstock – an amazing Indigenous leader.
"Please learn from history, so we don't repeat the mistakes Speak up when you hear wrongdoing, and keep speaking up until someone listens. "
We've about 70 Indigenous Languages, being revived, especially during the pandemic as people have the time and the technology to do virtual learning.
What can Canadians do?
- Honour the unceded lands on which we live,
- Go to a Pow Wow,
- Read. Anything. History or biographies, fiction or non.
- Watch videos (see below),
- Listen. Just. Listen.
Celebrate Summer Solstice 2021 with Omàmiwininì Pimàdjwowin
As a way to give back, I encourage all non-Indigenous people living on unceded Algonquin territory to make a donation to Omamiwinini Pimadjiwowin - a charitable organization which works to revitalize Algonquin language and culture at Pikwakanagan.
