Master of Ceremonies Ernie Cardinal will open the  2024 National Indigenous Peoples Day at 9:30 am.  Opening activities include a welcome from Rhonda Larrabee, Chief of the Qayqayt First Nation and well as Ruth Weller, Executive Director for Spirit of the Children Society.  Following the welcome the event will be kicked off with a grand entry for the pow wow activities that follows.

Anneliese and Kaimana are from Squamish and Kwakwaka’wakw ancestry. Anneliese only just came in to her Squamish culture 8 years ago, as she was part of the Sixties Scoop and did not grow up with her cultural identity. In April of 2016 she joined the Squamish Ocean Canoe Family and has been active in learning her teachings, protocols, dances, songs, and language ever since. In July of 2016, Anneliese was 9 weeks pregnant with Kaimana on her first Tribal Journey. Kaimana has been immersed in his Squamish culture since before he was born. He has grown up learning songs, dances, and language. He has a strong family behind him that share our teachings and history with him. Kaimana is being raised to be a strong, confident Indigenous man and to walk in a good way and share what he is learning with others in order to continue the process of Truth & Reconciliation with our future generations.

The Wild Moccasin Dancers are a intertribal dance collective that live work and dance on the Unceeded Coast Salish Territories. The artists involved have been sharing their gifts for most of their lives, and express these gifts through songs, dances, and story telling. We believe that by sharing what has been gifted to each of us, we strengthen the gifts within all of us. The Wild Moccasin Dancers engage the audience and encourage participation by creating a safe space of inclusion. Our mission is to bring all peoples together by utilizing medicine wheel teachings through intertribal dance steps and styles. Regardless of race, gender, religion, age or ability, there is enough space for all of us.

I’m a 19 year old Haida and Scottish young lady. About 10 years ago I saw a hoop dancer. She gave me my first three hoops. This started my love for hoop dancing so I started teaching myself. I’m also a jingle dancer which I’ve also taught myself. I’ve been dancing at National Indigenous Peoples Days in Maple Ridge in Langley for several years. I also performed at SD 42 Aboriginal awards and throughout the Lower Mainland. All my regalia is made by my dad and I.

Greetings all, we are the G̱a̱lg̱apoła dancers, we all come from different tribes that make up the Kwakwaka'wakw nation. The Kwakwaka'wakw people are made up of 18 different tribes that are located over North Vancouver Island and adjacent mainland, g̱ilakas'la.

At Waceya we offer a jigging program for children aged 5-18. Our program teaches children the basic jig step, listening to the changes in traditional Métis music and contemporary Métis tunes. As part of our jigging program, dancers learn and share historical cultural knowledge, Métis values, and Michif (Métis language).

Métis jigging originated in the Red River area (modern day Winnipeg). It is a combination of First Nations dancing and Scottish and French-Canadian step-dancing. It originated about the 1800s and became part of the Métis celebrations that are still held across Canada today!

Dances that our group perform include: The Red River Jig, Sash Dance, Broom Dance, Orange Blossom Special, Drops of Brandy, the Butterfly and more!

William Nahanee was born November 15, 1941 in Vancouver, and grew up on Mission Reserve No. 1. For ten years, he was sent with his siblings, to St. Paul’s Indian Residential School in North Vancouver. During this challenging period, he became an active and accomplished boxer with St. Paul’s Athletic Club, later renamed Totem Athletic Club. This sport became a passion that followed him into adulthood. He is a member of the Squamish Nation and a long-time aboriginal cultural educator. His ancestral name is Kwel-a-nexw.

Tawahum is a Łutselkʼe Dene and Plains Nehiyaw spoken word poet from unceded Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh Territory (CKA Vancouver). Their Two-Spirit, Nonbinary Scorpio-moon angst boils over to showcase their sadboi rage. Their single, Connect2Spirit, charted #1 on Indigenous Music Countdown in June 2022. Having opened for Kimmortal and Vivek Shraya, Tawahum’s also performed for International Indigenous Hip-Hop Awards, Verses Festival and more for several years. Check out his debut hip-hop album, Bottled Lightning, everywhere now! You can find them @Tawahum, everywhere.

Francis Baptiste is an Indigenous songwriter and music journalist from the Osoyoos Indian Band. His debut LP, Snəqsilxʷ (Family), features songs sung in Nsyilxcən [nah-silk-sen], the endangered language of the Syilx [see-ilks] people. Approximately 50 elders can fluently speak Nsyilxcən. For Baptiste, his journey in learning the language and teaching it to his son begins with this album. Family (Snəqsilxʷ) is his effort to preserve and connect with this vital part of his heritage. Baptiste is also a music journalist who writes for Exclaim, Permanent Rain Press, and Vancouver Weekly. Currently, he lives in Vancouver, BC.

A multi-disciplined, award winning artist from the Stl’atl’imx Nation, George Leach is in relentless pursuit of truth. His passion and dedication to songcraft has been evident throughout his entire career, which began with the release of his debut album, “Just Where I’m At”, in the year 2000. The self-produced album won several Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and garnered international recognition, establishing him as a respected singer, songwriter, guitarist and performer.

With music spanning several genres stemming from rock and soulful blues roots, slide guitar riffs on his double neck Gibson, and sounds that blend traditional rhythms with a modern twist, a live George Leach performance soon became something not to miss.

His second album, “Surrender”, went on to become a multiple award winning album, earning George a Juno award in 2014. The album covers a vast terrain of styles displaying his diversity and incredible vocal range with touches of classic rock, balladry, funky and confident modern rock grooves, to the raw vulnerability and intimacy of the title song.

His music is the result of years of living, trial and error, falling and getting up, winning and losing, breaking up, making up, and writing through it all. With the diversity of his musical portfolio, George’s songs can be heard on multiple TV shows, series, movies and documentaries. He continues to produce original music behind the scenes for film and television projects.

George Leach is currently working on writing and recording his third album - a unique compilation of musical genres yet to be discovered. His talent is undeniable. He is the real deal.

This year the Indigenous market will be the largest yet!  We will have 25 vendors selling artwork and food as well as handcrafts such as beadwork, weavings and jewelry. Please come out and support local indigenous entrepreneurship, heritage and culture.

Red Fox’s flagship Active Play program gives children the chance to be healthy, have fun, and get inspired by positive youth role models from their own communities. Red Fox Youth Leaders guide children through energetic group games, circus arts and other physical activities that cultivate self-confidence, social connections, and new skills.

Red Fox created the first Active Play programs in east Vancouver in 2007 to serve the needs of Indigenous and inner-city children who were disengaged with traditional after-school programs. The programs’ successes have resulted in Red Fox growing rapidly. Red Fox Active Play now reaches hundreds of children across Metro Vancouver every week.

Water Eater is Spirit of the Children Society’s Canoe.  It was painted by Tlingit artist Ken Anderson. His design concept was based on the name “Water-eater” which is understand to have been a common name for a canoe in the past. The design concept was that the main figure in the front was a female figure that “ate the water” and carried and protected the passengers. The male figures in the back represent the men working while following the lead of the women (also in the boat); a symbolic representation of how the Tlingit clan system follows the mother’s side.

The boat was blessed and a prayer said for it as it had an inaugural journey in Teslin in 2000 or 2001. It was used for a variety of events in the Yukon such as the grand opening of the Teslin Cultural Centre a number of Moosehide gatherings and it completed the Yukon River Quest 4 times to raise funds for diabetes.

Science Al!ve  c/o Simon Fraser University's Faculty of Applied Sciences Outreach team is dedicated to inspiring youth through hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art Design and Mathematics) activities. Our Indigenous Youth in STEM (InSTEM) programs are designed to break down barriers to Inuit, Métis and First Nations youth by creating culturally relevant STEM experiences that build skills and confidence, while recognizing and celebrating their existing cultural knowledge as Indigenous Peoples. 

Our InSTEM team will teach computer science through interactive and age appropriate activities. The first activity will be learning about binary code through beading. Our second activity will explore encryption and decryption where participants will learn how to make strong passwords for digital safety. Lastly, we will have a computer science demonstration that the participants will get to engage with!

"This one hits a little closer to home, but it brings a world-renowned option. Bison Burgers! If you’re feeling like a classic with a Indigenous twist, this is an option not to be missed. Our menu consists of Bison burgers, fries or salad, Bison poutine."

Stampede Burger is an Indigenous owned and operated mobile food trailer operating at large events with a base location at Locality Brewing in Langley. We offer a 100% Bison Burger sourced locally from 70 mile BC. XH Ranch. So if you are looking to indulge in a truly well rounded Canadian experience please come by and support us locally at Locality Brewing for a Burger and a Beer.

The journey of Stampede Burger started three years, from the very place Louis Riel made his last stand for the Me’tis people, In a quest to connect with my culture and my ancestors I travelled by car to Saskatchewan with my two Auntie’s to gather as a people at the site of the battle of Batoche. It was there that I experienced my first taste of a traditional food source for Canadians. (Bison). I have a passion for food and so I ate a lot, I learned a lot in Saskatchewan. It wasn’t until the car ride home that I realized Bison (Bison Burgers). Are next to impossible to find in British Columbia. On that car ride home to BC in between visiting the graves of many many generations of my family. I ran the idea more of a dream past my Aunties and they agreed with me. 

REEL Mac and cheese offers gourmet, made from scratch macaroni and cheese with a variety of movie themed menu items.  We have been in the mobile food biz for over ten years having operated first class food concession trailers successfully at events such as the Calgary Stampede and The PNE.  You can now  find one of our three REEL Mac and Cheese Food Trucks at anywhere from  a birthday party to a huge music festival.  Have macaroni will travel.

http://www.reelmacandcheese.com/ 

BurgerHolic is specialized in Mouthwatering handcraft hamburgers. Extra-Wide juicy patty, and special BH sauce.

https://burgerholic.ca/food-truck-menu 

Family owned small business been popping high quality kettlecorn throughout Vancouver since 2005.

 

https://www.facebook.com/garyskettlecorn