National Indigenous Peoples Day

National Indigenous Peoples Day is an annual celebration held on June 21 in Canada.

In Anishinabek News

• June 2015: The community of Pic River First Nation marked the 2015 occasion by creating banners to show visitors Anishinaabe Laws.
• July 2018: In 2018, the event was celebrated at Mount McKay with a live radio broadcast of the CBC program Up North. The celebration provided the setting for the debut of Waubgeshig Rice as a radio host.
• July 2018: The 2018 celebration at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School included rock painting, lacrosse, and strawberry jam making. The event featured a school pow wow where students performed traditional dances in their regalia.
• June 2019: The day was established in 1996 to be held on the summer solstice to celebrate the contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. In 2019, the event was marked in North Bay with a public gathering called Learning Together.
• July 2019: The opening of the art exhibition in North Bay was held on the eve of this celebration in 2019.
• November 2019: Red Rock Indian Band hosts a ceremony on this day to honour Indigenous veterans and those who served in Afghanistan.
• January 2020: The Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival is scheduled to open with a gathering on June 21, 2020, to mark this day.
• June 2020: Jaylynn Wolfe has shared her journey as a dancer at celebrations for this day.
• June 2020: The article was published in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day.
• July 2020: In 2020, National Indigenous Peoples Day was celebrated with a virtual culinary workshop featuring Shawn Adler and Sarain Fox.
• July 2020: The 2020 celebrations in Thunder Bay included the REDTalks Ziindaamaget webinar. The date coincides with the summer solstice, a culturally significant time for Indigenous communities to gather.
• June 2021: The Near North District School Board highlighted its language programming in June 2021 to acknowledge and celebrate this day.
• November 2021: The Mt. Elgin Industrial Institute – Indian Residential School Monument was officially unveiled on this day in 2012.
• May 2022: Sara Kae wrote her song Rise on this day in 2020.
• June 2022: Lakehead University organized a Tipi Raising Gathering in June 2022 to celebrate this occasion. The university event was held early so that people could celebrate the day in their own or local communities.
• July 2022: The 2022 celebration at Fort William First Nation featured the Black Lodge Singers as the host drum. The event included a Sunrise Ceremony led by John Gagnon and a feast.
• July 2022: Ambassadors from the Ocean Bridge program attended a pow wow in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory during this celebration in 2022.
• July 2022: In 2022, CBC Thunder Bay marked the occasion with a special broadcast focused on the theme of living the good life. The celebration included stories about Indigenous art, humor, and the intersection of Indigenous identity with Pride month.
• August 2022: The Bannock Lady participates in this large event using a food trailer.
• January 2023: The 2021 observance of this day inspired Sara Kae to write her song Rise.
• May 2023: New lesson plans clarify the distinctions between this national day and Anishinaabe Giizhigad.
• June 2023: Canada Post issued a set of three stamps on this day in 2023.
• July 2023: The 2023 celebration in Fort William First Nation included a pow wow with dancers and drummers. The event served as a platform for leaders to discuss issues like clean drinking water and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
• June 2024: The groundbreaking for the Indigenous Women and Children's Shelter coincided with celebrations for this day in Beausoleil First Nation in 2024.
• May 2025: The Battle of the Nations Strong Event was scheduled on this day to celebrate Indigenous athletes and promote strength sports. The 2025 celebrations in Thunder Bay include a powerlifting and deadlift competition at Marina Park.
• June 2025: Canada Post scheduled the release of new stamps for June 20, the day preceding this national event.
• March 2026: The Charging Thunder drum group received an invitation to be present at this event.
• April 2026: The Indigenous Summer Fine Arts and Crafts Market is scheduled to take place during the weekend of this celebration in 2026.
• June 2026: The 2026 National Indigenous Peoples Day marked the 30th anniversary of the event, which was formerly called National Aboriginal Solidarity Day. Nico Williams created a Google Doodle to celebrate the vibrant histories of Anishinaabe and Indigenous people for this occasion.