National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in Winnipeg

It’s National Indigenous Peoples Day, and The Forks was the place to be with plenty of activities, as Winnipeggers came out to recognize and celebrate the cultures and contributions of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

“This day is important because the forks has been a meeting place for over 6,000 years, and we’re always excited to welcome people to the forks especially now with so many people impacted by wildfires, this is a great place where we can come together in community and celebrate together for the whole day,” said Tineke Buiskool-Leeuwma, the communications and marketing advisor for The Forks.

Nahanni Fontaine, Manitoba’s Minister of Families, said, “We‘re one Manitoba, we’re one people, we’re one relatives, so for folks to come out today, and celebrate today, it really does move us towards this path of one Manitoba and towards this path of reconciliation.”

“We are better when we’re together. The bottom line is that no matter who we are, where we are, where we work, we’re better when we’re together.”

The day was filled with events, including a Bannock breakfast, a market with beading, ribbon skirts, and artwork, musical performances and drumming, activities for kids, and much more. It also kicked off 11 days of programming for “many nations, one heartbeat” at the forks, which will run until Canada Day.

“Its really important that we’re all learning and growing together, and growing together as we take a reconciliation journey, that’s what the next 11 days are also about, we’re working with the treaty relations commission of Manitoba to celebrate and honour 11 days the treaties and just learn more about where we came from and celebrate together as a community of lots of different cultures,” said Buiskool-Leeuwma.

Folks filtered through the Forks throughout the day and into the evening, all coming together to celebrate indigenous culture and move forward with reconciliation.

“We all need to go forward and accept what has happened, and just love this day, as an Indigenous person, it’s important,” said one event attendee.

Another saying, “Its just so beautiful and I’m so thankful to be here today, and I thank creator for letting me be here today with you people, and that you approached me, and that we can all work on this together and know that its wrong what happened to the indigenous people, its wrong, and we must work to correct it together as a community, all of us together.”