Event planned to celebrate Aboriginal culture

Page 11

A number of celebrations are being planned across British Columbia to commemorate National Aboriginal Day on June 21.

In Bamfield, National Aboriginal Day will see the conclusion of A Journey Home, a fundraising walk from Victoria to Pachena Bay. The event will begin in Victoria June 14, with participants expected to arrive home on June 21.

Events are scheduled to begin at the Pachena Bay campsite at 1 p.m. with a welcome from the Huu-ay-aht First Nation hereditary chief, presentations, and a dinner song. A traditional salmon barbecue will be held, along with traditional singing and dancing. Canoe rides will also be given throughout the event in a 42-foot dug-out canoe.

Funds raised through the walk will go toward construction of the community's new hall, House of Huu-ay-aht, a longhouse built using 135-foot logs. The hall is scheduled to open July 14, with cultural events planned for that weekend.

For more information about A Journey Home or the festivities on June 21, call Huu-ay-aht counsellor Stella Peters at 250-728-3033 or Connie Nookemis at the campsite at 250-728-1287.

In Courtenay, a number of local schools are planning events for National Aboriginal Day. At Lake Trail Middle School, a group of 25 Grade 8 students in the First Nations Career and Personal Planning program have created a button blanket, with each student creating a square depicting something of significance to them, but in the traditional style. The button blanket will be presented to the school during an awards ceremony on June 21.

Another National Aboriginal Day project is being organized at Puntledge Park Elementary School, a French immersion school, where the traditional legend of Queneesh, the great white whale, has been translated into French and transformed into a play to be presented on June 21.

In Grand Forks, the Boundary Local Metis Association is hosting an event at Selkirk College. Coffee, tea, cake and bannock will be served, and Inuit, First Nation and Metis crafts people will have some of their work on display. This is the first year Grand Forks has held any events on National Aboriginal Day, and organizers are hoping all members of the community will attend.

The First Nations Friendship Centre in Vernon is also planning to host a National Aboriginal Day event to be held in Polson Park, however details were not finalized at press time. For more information, call 250 - 549 - 1783.

National Aboriginal Day celebrations in Prince Rupert will take part down at the waterfront with musicians, arts and crafts booths, traditional foods, balloons, and possibly a canoe race.

Tillicum Haus Native Friendship Centre in Nanaimo, in partnership with Snuneymuxw Nations, Mid-Island Metis Nation and School District 68, will be holding an event aimed at increasing awareness of Aboriginal people in general, and celebrating the unique qualities of local Aboriginal people. Organizers hope to use the event to educate the community regarding the treaty process, First Nations history and Metis history. The events will also include a dinner, arts and crafts for children, and venues for local artists to sell their works. Organizers are also hoping to have three different dance groups taking part in the celebrations. The event is family-oriented with an open invitation to the community. The event will begin at 1 p.m. at the Snuneymuxw administration facility. For more information about the events in Nanaimo, call Joe Elliott at 753-6578.

In Kamloops, the Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band is holding an open rodeo June 24 and 25, and a sanctioned motorcross race on the 25th in conjunction with the Greater Kamloops Motor Cross Association. For more information call Ed or Mike at 579-5772.

In Kelowna, the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society and the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) are joining together to host an event called "Uniting Our Nations."

The event will be held at the friendship society at 442 Leon Avenue from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

At 1 p.m. the event wil begin with an open house and youth drama workshops, as well as children's storytelling and craft tables. At 3 p.m. there will be a fashion show followed at 5 p.m. by a traditional feast.

At 6:15 p.m. the opening ceremony will begin with a prayer by an Okanagan Elder followed by welcomes from Chief Ron Derrickson, ONA chairperson Chief Dan Wilson, friendship society board president Pauline Terbasket, and City of Kelowna counsellor Ron Cannon.

Elder Mary Thomas will offer an opening prayer for the new youth centre followed by a ribbon cutting for the centre.

Three local Elders will then be honored, including Okanagan Shuswap Elder Mary Thomas, Okanagan Elder Dave Parker Sr., and Okanagan Elder Susan Harvey.

Entertainment will begin at 7 p.m. including performances by traditional flutist Herman Edwards, guitarist and blues singer George Leach, contemporary dancers from Rainbow Productions, and a First Nations rap group. Exhibition dancing will follow at 8:30 p.m. with the event coming to a close at 10 p.m.

For more information about the National Aboriginal Day events in Kelowna, call the friendship society at 250-763-4905.

Aboriginal Day celebrations on St. Mary's reserve near Cranbrook are being combined with Awards Day, celebrating the graduation of Grade 12 students from Mount Baker high school.

The days' events will include a parade from the river to a field in front of the administrative office, with all participants and their parents dressed in full regalia. Following the awards and graduation ceremonies, a graduation dance will be held, along with games, storytelling and many more activities.

For more information and updates on what's going on across the province for National Aboriginal Day, visit the NAD website at http://www.inac.gc.ca/june21/