Pow Wow ceremony, free outdoor concerts, film screenings and family games, there were activities for all tastes on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Officially established by the Canadian government in 1996, this official day is celebrated each year on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. For millennia, indigenous peoples have celebrated their culture and heritage. And it continues.
Philippe Tsaron Sere Meilleur, general director of Montréal Autochtone, an organization fighting for social housing in the community, sees it as the ideal opportunity “to offer environments to allow children to simply play, feel good and break the cycle of the intergenerational violence that colonialism has caused.”
Around a hundred people from different First Nations gathered for this purpose at Arthur-Therrien Park in the Verdun borough of Montreal, in order to share their traditions and customs.
Sitting on the grass in small groups, they shared food, such as fried Inuit bannock rolls, and showed visitors how to play instruments, such as the Eskimo drum. While various artists played music from different indigenous peoples, the children ran around the park, made crafts and learned about their cultures.
“For me, just seeing these kids play like that and having music that makes them feel anchored in their culture, that’s the accomplishment,” sums up Mr. Meilleur.
At the MMFA
At the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), access to the collections was completely free, except for the major summer exhibition on Flemish masterpieces. Sofie Alcock, a tourist from Great Britain, took the opportunity to admire works by indigenous peoples from here and elsewhere.
“We don’t have these types of exhibitions” in Scotland, she said, adding that she was amazed by a bark painting made by a shaman.
The All-World Arts collection brings together works by indigenous peoples from here and elsewhere, from Canada to the United States, including Mexico and Peru. Among these art objects, there is notably a Comala-style terracotta dog from Mexico which served as an offering to the deceased, accompanying them into the afterlife.
In Westmount
This is the third year that the City of Westmount has organized a cultural activity to mark National Indigenous History Day. This time, around fifty people, all ages combined, were able to enjoy the performance of Shauit, an artist who draws his musical inspirations from different cultural sources.
Originally from Maliotenam, the young artist sings in English, French, Creole and Innu. The son of an Acadian father and an Innu mother, he was raised in French, but reconnected with his maternal culture over time.
“Shauit is the Innu version of Jean-Eude, my first name in French,” explained the artist. He then pointed out that the creation of Innu-sounding names from French names is common among the Innu. This educational dimension accompanied the entire service.
Shauit’s music combines reggaeton, folk music and traditional Innu sounds. In 2018, he won Best Indigenous Language Album at the Indigenous Music Award, and Indigenous Songwriter of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Award. Himself on drums, vocals and guitar, he was accompanied by a violinist, a bassist and a percussionist.
“Shauit had sent us his application for the Westmount Summer Concert series, but we preferred to schedule it for the June 21 celebration, so that he could really have his own moment,” says Anne-Marie Lacombe, director. the municipal library and community events.
As part of National Indigenous History Month, the Westmount library is also offering an exhibition on First Nations literature.