Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day

June, 2020 - June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a time for us to recognize and celebrate the cultures of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Andrea Louise-Martyn, from our Community & Indigenous Affairs team, explains what the day means to her and how you can celebrate virtually this year.

Andrea Louise-Martyn, Indigenous Relations Advisor

National Indigenous Peoples Day is important to me because of my Métis heritage and, as an Indigenous Relations Advisor, I work on a variety of initiatives to strengthen Cenovus's relationships with Indigenous communities, and build internal understanding of working with Indigenous people.

Like everything else, our festivities this year will be a bit different because of the restrictions in place due to COVID-19. However, I’d like to mark the occasion by sharing what Indigenous Peoples Day means to me and how we can all celebrate together virtually.

To me, National Indigenous Peoples Day is a chance to honour my grandparents and celebrate the uniqueness of my Métis culture. My maternal grandparents were really influential in my upbringing. My grandpa was a trapper, a guide and a fantastic storyteller. My grandma was a seamstress, a skill she acquired from the nuns in residential school. They were both from Kelly Lake Métis Settlement, but lived in Beaverlodge. My family roots run deep in western Canada and I’m fascinated by the strength and resiliency that my ancestors had.

Some of the signifiers of our vibrant Métis culture include the Michif language, our beadwork and our music and dance. I enjoy watching the dancing, but unfortunately don’t have the music in my feet like some of my cousins do!

In a typical year, I usually celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day by attending the events hosted in Calgary. It’s an opportunity to celebrate with friends and there’s usually an abundance of great entertainment and delicious food – stew and bannock are often on the menu.

This year, I plan to participate in some of the virtual events that will be taking place for National Indigenous Peoples Day, including watching the broadcast of the 2020 Indspire Awards. I attended the awards ceremony earlier this year in Ottawa, where eleven outstanding Indigenous individuals were honoured. The photo above is me at the ceremony, wearing my Métis sash. Read more below about what the colours of the sash represent. It was a wonderful evening showcasing the diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada and included outstanding performances by Indigenous talent. I hope you all enjoy National Indigenous Peoples Day, and I encourage you to take time to celebrate using the resources below.

• Aboriginal Awareness Week Calgary – online celebration will include powwow dancing, Jigging, Inuit performances, musical performances, hand drum singing and more
• City of Edmonton – various resources related to National Indigenous People’s Day
• Government of Canada – online resources to help you learn more about the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people
• Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival/Social Distance Pow Wow – virtual celebration featuring a variety of traditional dances
• Indigenous Corporate Training – read their article on eleven ways you can celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day virtually this year
• 2020 Indspire Awards broadcast – tune into the ceremony on APTN, CBC, CBC Radio or CBC GEM on Sunday June 21 at 6 p.m.