Last Friday hundreds of students, teachers and many visitors converged on Transfer Beach for National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Originally called National Aboriginal Day, the day to celebrate the heritage and cultures of the country's First Peoples, was announced in 1996 by then governor general Roméo LeBlanc. According to the federal government website, June 21 was selected because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year, which is a celebrated time of the year for many Indigenous communities.
The local celebration, hosted by Stz’uminus Chief John Elliott and the community's council, featured a host of activities and cultural events. Stz’uminus Elder Ray Harris welcomed the crowd and special guests and introduced Chief Elliott and the Stz’uminus council along with Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone and members of the Ladysmith council. Elder Buffi David opened the event with a Hul’q’umi’num’ opening prayer. David and Elder George Harris performed the Stz’uminus anthem song, which Harris wrote for the community for the Olympics.
“Indigenous day means to me, means sharing our traditional cultures, sharing our history around our existence within our traditional territories, our lands. How historically we’ve been here for thousands of years and we just want to be able to share our traditions, our culture, knowing that we have stories to tell,” were some of the remarks by Elliott. “We just want to share our stories, the stories of our culture, of our people. They are stories of existence and we are still here and we are thriving and we are building our community to be healthy and strong.”
Stone said it was a special opportunity to be gathered for the celebration.
"To be building stronger relationships and making new friends as we teach our young people a better way to move forward in the world, together. We are here to share Indigenous and Stz'uminus culture, celebrate the beauty of this unceded territory and hopefully learn about how we are making a better future for everyone together, moving forward in a good way. I share not just the gratitude of the town and council, but our entire community in the gift of this day to our community, and my deepest gratitude for all those who have brought their young ones here today. Huy'ceep'qa," said Stone.
Following the remarks singers and dancers from the Tzinqwa Singers and Dancers performed for the audience accompanied by traditional drumming.
Every year the Stz’uminus community makes a financial donation to an organization that works to support those who need help in the area.
“Last year we supported Loaves and Fishes and for this year we are pleased to assist the Kwa’mut Lelum Foundation,” Elliott said.
Sheena Robinson accepted the donation and said “we are grateful to Stz’uminus for the donation and this will help us work with children and youth from the nine First Nation communities in the area.”
Music and entertainment continued at the amphitheatre where the audience participated in dancing and singing.
Members of both councils worked to prepare a lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers and barbecued salmon for the hundreds of spectators and guests.
The park held a number of bouncy castles, interactive games, Stz’uminus artist tents, a wellness tent and other booths. Local Stz’uminus singer and songwriter, Nate Harris also performed for the crowd.
In wrapping up the chief was asked about the economic health of the community, he said they are doing well.
“We’re doing everything we can as a nation, as a people," he said. "As leadership the community is definitely engaging in partnerships, we are also really engaged in moving things forward for the community, as they requested us to do.”
Elliott said he would like to see an understanding that it's important to share culture come from the celebrations.
"But also how we live together, how we come together to share the things that are important to making sure that we create opportunities for our children to be able to understand that even though we’re on Stz’uminus traditional territory, that we work together so that our children have a different mindset of how the past may have hurt us, but today we try to grow together so that our kids play together, work together and live together in a good way.”
