Recognizing Indigenous Cultures
Before Canada existed, this land was rich and diverse with many Indigenous cultures: First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. These original inhabitants of the land that is now Canada knew the land intimately and thrived.
Explorers landed on the East Coast in the 1500s. They quickly learned that the Indigenous Peoples could teach them to survive the harsh conditions of this new and strange land. The generosity of our Indigenous ancestors not only helped these explorers survive and thrive, but also shared with them the natural resources of this new land; namely the fur from the abundance of animals.
Beaver fur, one of the most valued of commodities, quickly became a symbol of wealth and status throughout Europe in form of a fur hat. Wearers couldn’t get enough of this durable, waterproof, soft fur. So the Fur Trade was born and created an exchange between Indigenous Peoples and Europeans. The Indians traded furs for goods such as tools, cooking utensils, and weapons with the Europeans.
As time passed, trade relations grew and changed. Following that, more explorers headed to this new land in hopes to claim their fortune and to escape the poverty of the European nations. This created a scarcity in the natural resources they had come to rely on and pushed explorers further to the west.
Consequences and Reconciliation
History tells us that the Fur Trade was instrumental to the birth of Canada. It also tells us that the arrival of the Europeans decimated much of the diversity of our Indigenous Peoples. Parcelled into reservations, stripped of their culture and heritage, the Indigenous populations began their demise as the Europeans claimed this land as their new country.
As time has passed, our governments have realized the wrongs of our European ancestors. Instead of trying to erase the many cultures and traditions of our first peoples, there is growing effort to rebirth them. Canada is undergoing a process of Reconciliation. Each person has an important role to play in reconciliation. Reconciliation begins with oneself and then extends into our families, relationships, workplaces and eventually into our communities.
National Indigenous Peoples Day is June 21. This day marks the official day of celebration to recognize and honour the heritage, cultures and valuable contributions to society by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Libraries and organizations in BC have many events and activities scheduled for each of us to learn more about our Indigenous people, cultures, and practices. Take a moment to find the event in your community and head down to discover the rich history of our Indigenous peoples.
Here are a few:
The Burnaby Public Library invites you to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day in the civic square. Learn Indigenous history through storyteller Deborah Baker, carver Troy Baker, and Hip Hop artists Mumarudegyal and Rude Gang Entertainment.
The Vancouver Public Library will offer National Indigenous Peoples Day Family Storytime, as well as a showcasing of the movie Indian Horse.
The Richmond Public Library will be at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery where there will be performances, story-telling, workshops, demos, food, and activities for all ages from 12pm – 4pm on Saturday June 22nd.
The City of Surrey – Surrey’s National Indigenous Peoples Day event will showcase cultural sharings, teachings, storytelling and practices and give participants an opportunity to experience the rich cultural history of Canada’s Indigenous people and allow for inter-generational connections to take shape.