June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day where we recognize and celebrate the rich cultures and contributions of Indigenous communities across Canada. To celebrate, the Qalipu First Nation hosted events in several of our communities.
The office in Glenwood hosted a community breakfast which was catered by Allison’s Catering, a local Glenwood business. Staff from Glenwood and Gander were on hand to support the event and without their help, breakfast would not have been possible. During the event, Audrey Doyon performed a smudge ceremony while a prayer was provided by Delphine Richards, Glenwood First Nation council member. Also in attendance was Frank Skeard, QFN Glenwood ward councilor for Glenwood and Calvin Francis, QFN Gander Bay ward councilor. All of those in attendance provided positive feedback and everyone enjoyed a delicious breakfast.
The office in Grand Falls-Windsor also hosted a community breakfast at the QFN office.
In Stephenville Crossing (Meski’k Tui’tn), staff were present for a flag raising ceremony at the cenotaph. Hayward Young, Ward Councilor for Stephenville assisted Frank Russell in raising the Grand Council Flag while Mutchie Bennett provided an opening prayer. Mayor Lisa Lucas was in attendance to bring greetings on behalf of the town council. Troy Bennett did a community smudge ceremony, and the Spirit Bay Drummers performed the Honor song and social songs to end the gathering. There was also tea, coffee and muffins for everyone.
In Corner Brook, the day started with a sunrise ceremony at Margaret Bowater Park hosted by the Corner Brook Aboriginal Women’s Association (CBAWA). The attendance for this event was fantastic with over 75 people who joined the CBAWA for a smudge, prayers and drumming. Around 9am, a crowd was starting to gather on the Majestic Lawn for the celebrations hosted by QFN. The morning started off with song sharing which was led by the Corner Brook Aboriginal Women’s Association and followed by a grab-and-go breakfast in the community room which was provided by Qalipu First Nation. The tipi was set up on the lawn for photo opportunities which caught the attention of all ages. Chief Brake was in attendance participating in drumming and she brought greetings on behalf of staff & council.
“The goal is to raise awareness and encourage education for both indigenous and non-indigenous people; the more we know about our past, the brighter our futures can be. By learning from each other’s diverse backgrounds and experiences, we become better neighbors and more compassionate individuals”.
The morning continued with activities for children including face painting, rock painting and a scavenger hunt. Artisans were also set up on the lawn with their crafts for sale. The event concluded around 12pm.
