Plenty of people packed the Bill Reid Amphitheatre in Cloverdale Saturday (June 21) for Surrey鈥檚 National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration and wellness event.
Hosted by Semiahmoo, Kwantlen and Katzie First Nations, the free, family-friendly event serves as an opportunity to acknowledge and show respect for Indigenous Peoples past, present and future, and to "share cultural history; and to share spirit, experiences, stories, song, art and dance with each other and the community," according to the .
Featuring dancing, singing, sharing and teachings, traditional foods 鈥� including bannock 鈥� arts exhibits, interactive activities and crafts and more, the event featured special guests including XiQuelem (Eugene Harry), a member of the Cowichan Tribes, award-winning singer Jade Turner, a proud member of the Misipawistik Cree Nation, the Wild River Singers and Art Napoleon, a "disarming educator, humorist and bridge builder."
In White Rock, the city's X account featured a message from White Rock council members, and a video of Semiahmoo First Nation Chief Harley Chappell speaking about the oral history of P鈥橯uals, the iconic white rock located on the shores of Semiahmoo Bay.
Across the province and country, several celebrations were held, with B.C. Premier David Eby issuing a release on Saturday (June 21).
鈥淭oday, people throughout the province and country are coming together to celebrate the rich cultures and many contributions of First Nations, Inuit and M茅tis Peoples," Eby's statement said. 鈥淚ndigenous Peoples have stewarded the lands and waters of this country for millennia. They have made important contributions to all areas of civic life, from arts and culture to science and law. They continue to create positive change in their communities and beyond. And they have done it all while healing from past harms.
鈥淣ational Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity to honour this strength, bravery and resilience. It is an invitation to learn more about the past, present and future of Indigenous Peoples. And it is a call to action to stand up against Indigenous-specific racism, including residential school denialism. We all have a role to play," Eby's release said.
