ST. PAUL - National Indigenous People's Day is being recognized on Tuesday across the country, and celebrations are taking place across the Lakeland, offering everyone a chance to get to know and celebrate local Indigenous culture.
The Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre in St. Paul will be hosting a full day of events, starting with a pipe ceremony at 1 p.m. on June 21.
Then, at 3:45 p.m., there will be a gathering at the UFO landing pad on the west end of town. A "Walk for Friendship" will make its way from the landing pad to the Lions Park, located at 50th Avenue and 49th Street, along main street.
At the park, there will be drummers, traditional and Métis dancers, a free barbecue, and Indigenous artisan vendors, explains Arlene Yarmuch, an outreach coordinator with the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre .
There will also be live music by the band Country Storm. The celebrations at the Lions Park are expected to run from 4 to 9 p.m., which should be "a good amount of time to have some fun," says Yarmuch.
And of course, the day is open to everyone. The celebrations are a symbol of lateral kindness.
When asked why people should attend the event, organizers say the day is meant to bring awareness, promote kindness, and simply offer an opportunity to get together and have fun.
If the weather isn't favourable for an outdoor event, the celebration will still go on, but will be moved indoors to the Friendship Centre.
Multi-cultural Day on June 27
Less than a week later on June 27, the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre will host a second event, this time dedicated to celebrating all cultures.
The Multiculturalism Day will include a "Taste of Treaty 6" food event, bringing together traditional flavours from across the world. Authentic heritage cuisine will be served up starting at 5:30 p.m., and multicultural performances are slated for 6:30 p.m.
According to organizers, there is still time to get involved with the multicultural day, either through making a traditional cultural food dish or performing. Performances are expected to range from dances, to musical performances including singing, and more.
To get involved with the multicultural day, contact Yarmuch at (780) 210-7818 or the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre at (780) 645-4630.
