National Indigenous Peoples Week

National Indigenous Peoples Week
This coming week is a very important week of the year – it is Aboriginal Awareness Week or Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week. Whatever name you use for it, everywhere in Canada there will be celebrations during this week. The week encompasses a special day called Indigenous Peoples Day that is celebrated every June 21st.


This year is also a special year. 2019 has been declared as the Year of Indigenous Languages. Languages are so important to keeping our culture alive and vibrant and in Canada we are struggling to keep our Indigenous languages from going extinct. Keep tuned as Colouring It Forward will be putting forth initiatives on language revitalization in the near future.

In Calgary, the week is being launched at Olympic Plaza on Monday, June 17th from 11 am to 2pm with singers, dancers and drummers. There will be a walk for reconciliation on June 21st and a Family Day Festival and pow wow on Saturday June 22nd at Fort Calgary.

If you would like more information on events in your area, a great way to find them is to search for Aboriginal Awareness Week or Aboriginal Day (or substitute Indigenous Peoples for Aboriginal) on Facebook. It seems that many Indigenous events are promoted on Facebook. If you are having trouble finding anything, feel free to contact me and I will help as much as I can.

If you are interested in participating in reconciliation, these events are a great opportunity not only to learn about the culture and the issues but also to have fun, make some new friends and share a laugh, join in a dance and try some Indigenous food. We invite you to celebrate with us during this week. Everyone is welcome! We are all related.

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