Kwakwaka’wakw dancers perform at a gathering on National Indigenous Peoples Day in Vancouver in 2024.ETHAN CAIRNS/The Canadian Press
Hundreds of events are planned across the country Saturday to mark Indigenous Peoples Day.
First observed in 1996, Indigenous Peoples Day is meant to recognize First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures and traditions.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will take part in a closed event to mark the day.
The office of Gov. Gen. Mary Simon said she will host youth at Rideau Hall in Ottawa to mark the day by crafting paper hearts with “messages of reconciliation, hope and commitment.”
The Governor General will plant the hearts in Rideau Hall’s “heart garden,” which honours Indigenous people who died in residential schools, along with survivors.
“Each heart is a symbol of our collective responsibility to listen to and carry forward their stories — of pain and disappointment, strength and courage — and to commit to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action,” Simon’s office said.
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This year’s Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa. The festival features a competition powwow, traditional foods and teaching sessions.
Starting Saturday, the Forks in Winnipeg will host Many Nations, One Heartbeat, an 11-day festival of Indigenous performances, games, fashion and crafts.
Organizers say the festival will honour “the stories, strength, and resilience of Indigenous communities, especially in this moment of significant displacement due to Manitoba’s wildfire.”
And in Toronto, the Na-Me-Res Traditional Powwow and Indigenous Arts Festival will take place Saturday at the Fort York National Historic Site, featuring traditional dances, live concerts and a food market.