National Indigenous People's Day

June 21, 2022
Moody Park
10:30 am - 2:30 pm

Come to the 2022 National Indigenous People's Day celebration, located at Moody Park in New Westminster. This event is hosted in collaboration with the Spirit of the Children Society, Qayqayt First Nation and the City of New Westminster. There will be cultural entertainment, physical activities, arts and crafts, Indigenous vendors and storytelling. 

This is a free all-ages event, so invite all your family, friends, neighbours, and people of every kind! No ticket purchases necessary, just show up at Moody Park anytime between 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Stage Performances

10:30 am - 11:00 pm
Opening remarks

11:00 am - 12:20 pm Star Child
Star Child will be the host drum for the Pow Wow performances during the event.

11:00 am - 11:20 am
Wild Moccasin Dancers - Pow Wow

Shyama-priya
I began my journey of learning to pow wow dance as a teen. Dancing helped me

 in many ways to build confidence, it gave me a purpose and gave me a sense of self. I am Celtic Icelandic and Indigenous descent from my mother’s side, which from my understanding is Cree. From my late dad’s side I am Bihari. Having mixed heritage and questions being raised about identity, I have had to ask myself why I dance? There are many people who feel lost and unsure of where they come from or where they fit in. Dancing connected me to my spirit. It connected me to a part of myself that goes beyond the physical reality. My daughter who is a mix of Mohawk, Bajan and my mix is one of the main reasons I feel inspired to share the teachings. Sometimes we meet people who see something in us, that we don’t see in ourselves. When I met Coast Salish dancer Curtis Joe over 20 years ago, aka my uncle, he sat down beside me and invited me to join pow wow dance class. He showed me the importance of having a instructor who takes the time to help others realize their own potential. By taking the time to teach the steps as well as the meanings behind the dances we can then pass those on to others. My mom is gifted in design and colour combining, she has designed and made all my regalia. Our gifts are our blessings and to honor our gifts, we must share them. Learning to dance changed my life and even if one person finds connection to themselves by learning then I feel I have honored what was shared with me.

David Whitebean
I have lived with the beautiful lands known as British Columbia for over twenty-eight years and I have loved every moment. I say "lived with" as an expression of unity and community. I say this as we live with mother Earth and we live with one another, together, moving forward. As much as I love B.C. I am a guest here. I was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1987 with a pulchritudinous amalgamation of ethnicity. My mom, Shelley Knight, is a descendent from the Mohawk tribe. This tribe is one of six within the Iroquois Confederacy. My mom also has Irish lineage as well. My dad, David Gooding, is a descendent from African roots and with his family being from Barbados makes for a great story and a great union of culture and ethnicity. I didn't grow up with a strong indigenous or African upbringing and only participated in cultural events and programs that were held by our schools or local city's events. Though I do recall attending one local Powwow that was held somewhere in the lower mainland. Over the years I participated in our schools indigenous programs which were amazing. "I appreciate all you teachers and the teachings as it led to the notion that there's something more to be learned here." It wasn't until 2002 that I was introduced to Powwow dancing and became inclined to learn more about the indigenous culture. I got the opportunity to participate in Powwow dancing and I fell in love with it! I attended a local Powwow dance and exercise class and became inspired to learn about the many styles and their meanings. In 2011 I became committed to learning Powwow dancing and with the guidance of Shyama-Priya and her dance teacher Curtis I have been privileged to teach the art and styles of what I know Powwow dancing is. Since then, I have danced, performed and taught all ages and in many settings such as, schools, corporate events, large city events and online platforms and will continue to do so. Being able to share music, art, culture, history, stories and so much more with people that may have never had the chance to be present to these is why I have become a Powwow dancer. I have witnessed people being moved and inspired with this work. To have the honor to pass down and pass on such preciousness is truly a gift. No matter the circumstance I will always create the possibility of being a remarkable contribution in the community. I have a great appreciation of my own existence, and impact, on our planet and I create for myself and my life as being someone who can make a difference.

11:40 am - 12:00 pm
Bear Dancers
Brian Lester
I am 61 and have lived in mount Currie I’ll my life. I have been a Bear dancer for seven years and a powwow dancer for twenty years I go all over BC to powwow and to help with healing regalia.

Malihatkwa Gwen Therrien
I am a healer interested in helping community for the best possible outcomes. I am a St'at'inc Bear Dancer dancing for healing and brushing with Cedar. I am a Sundancer pipe carrier as well.
I am a hereditary bear dancer, my lineage comes from Samahqusm in Statimc Territory where the Bear Dance began long time age. I do not deny any person’s right to dance according to their spirit, I am Grizzly Bear. I believe that Bear was the first 4 legged to inhabit Mother Earth in our part of the world, Turtle Island. Bear prepared everything for humankind, the medicines, etc. and knows where everything is buried. Bears shake up the Earth with their dance and the truth becomes know from the depth of the Earth to the Sky. Any dance that a Bear Dancer who carries Bear Medicine helps to heal Mother Earth and her humans.

-Taken Nsusnk’kuwah7 (all my relations)
-Malihatkwa (Oldest Living Relation)
 

12:00 - 12:20 pm
Jane Wiley (Raven) Hoop Dancer
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.

12:30 - 1:00 pm
Stars of the North Drum Group
Hello, we are Stars Of The North Drum Group representing our North West Coast people of the Tlowitsis Mumtigala Nation of Alert Bay, and of the Kwakiutl people of Fort Rupert on Vancouver Island, and we represent the Stolo people of Seabird Island Chilliwack BC. Stars of the North Drum Group was born in August of 2009 with the guidance of our elders sharing their wisdom, and their knowledge, and passing down to us their stories that our mother LaDonna Wiks Joseph Hindmarch puts into her own written songs in English implementing our Native Kwakwala Language.

We are children of parents who attended and survived RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL. We are children who were not raised on reserve, with our native people, nor were we raised with our native language, and with our native culture. So we started our own learning journey of our native culture, history, and of our language through song with the guidance of our Grandmother Christine Joseph Twance Of Fort Rupert, and of many elders whom we keep them all very close to our hearts, and we continue to raise our hands honoring and remembering them for with out their guidance, love and support Stars of the North Drum group would not be.

The button blankets we wear are all hand stitched every bead, button, sequence, and every stitch by our mother LaDonna Wiks Joseph Hindmarch, with the guidance of our Auntie Elizabeth Dawson, and they represent who we are, and where we from as Big House People. We raise our hands at this time to give thanks to our Community Event Facilitators, for inviting our Stars of the North Drum Group to share our Aboriginal Cultural Journey. We would also like to acknowledge, and raise our hands to give thanks to the First Nations People of this Territory we are standing on for allowing us to share our Cultural Journey in our own written contemporary songs.

1:00 - 1:20 pm
Metis Jigging and Fiddle
Charlene Hamilton – Jigger
Jeremy Lavallee - Fiddle

1:30 - 2:00 pm
Squamish Ocean Canoe Family Traditional Song and Dance
Squamish Nation Singers and Dancers sharing songs, dances and stories of the Squamish People. The women will show the dances then invite people to join them. Fun for the whole family!

The Kxwu7lh (meaning: Ocean Going Canoe) was carved in 1992 by Chief Cedric Billy and his two sons, Mike and Ian, of the Squamish Nation. The Kxwu7lh is 45’ in length, weighs 1100lbs, and seats 13 people. His (Kxwu7lh) first journey was in 1993 to Bella Bella. 

2:00 - 2:30 pm
Bingo Switch
Bingo Switch is a fresh Jazzy Pop-Rock band based out of Vancouver, BC. Their members consist of Zac Daniels, Christian Abt, Brody Halfe, and Liam Wilkins.

Educational Display and Activities

10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Red Fox Health Living Society Active Play
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.

10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Water Eater
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.

Teepee
Anishinabe style teepee made by Giwiselini (Tony Solomon) of the Anishnabe Culture. Originally constructed with birch bark covers, hide covers, or tulie reeds and various other natural products. It has been used for over 10000 years in North America as portable housing, particularly while traveling. North America's oldest RV. “Contrary to popular myth, We were not nomadic and had regular locations we used every year for different seasons to minimize our impact on each environment we used resources from.” “Not all Anishinabe used teepees, it is only one of several styles of housing that we used, including wikwuoms and long lodges as well as other forms of housing throughout North America, from southern Alaska to northern Mexico, and from northern Quebec to Florida, and including most of the continent accessible to the Birch Bark canoes.”
 

Storytelling

William Nahanee
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.

Joseph Dandurand
Joseph A. Dandurand is a member of Kwantlen First Nation located on the Fraser River about 20 minutes east of Vancouver. He resides there with his 3 children Danessa, Marlysse, and Jace. Joseph is the Director of the Kwantlen Cultural Center. Joseph received a Diploma in Performing Arts from Algonquin College and studied Theatre and Direction at the University of Ottawa. He served as the Storyteller in Residence at the Vancouver Public Library in 2019. He was a representative on a committee for the Canadian Museum of History and tasked with consulting on the redesign of their new Children’s Museum. He has published several books of poetry which include: I WANT by Leaf Press (2015) and HEAR AND FORETELL by BookLand Press (2015) The Rumour (2018) by BookLand Press in (2018) SH:LAM (the doctor) Mawenzi Press (2019) The Corrupted by Guernica Press (2020) his children’s play: Th’owixiya: the hungry Feast dish by Playwrights Press Canada (2019) his book of short stories and short plays for children: The Sasquatch, the Fire, and the Cedar Basket was published by Nightwood Press along with his poetry manuscript: Here we come (2020-21). In 2021 he was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize for The East Side of It All (Nightwood Editions). He is very busy Storytelling at many events and Schools..

Deni Paquette
Deni Paquette is Métis and holds a BA in International Indigenous Studies, her focus is to support and promote the Métis and all Indigenous people through education. She has experience in community boards and development projects. Currently she is the President of the North Fraser Métis. Deni also works as a classroom Métis Cultural Presenter for the Langley School District and as a facilitator promoting Métis identity through community presentations. She uses oral traditions and values learned from Elders to build community.