National Indigenous Peoples Day

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day – a time to celebrate the history, heritage, diversity and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.

The City of Coquitlam recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day as part of its commitment to reconciliation – the work of establishing mutually respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.

To visually commemorate National Indigenous Peoples Day, the special lighting features at Lafarge Lake and Pinetree Way are illuminated in red, yellow, white and black on June 21 to reflect the Indigenous Medicine Wheel symbol. The features are also illuminated in these colours on June 1 to commemorate the beginning of National Indigenous History Month. To advance cultural awareness and TRC Call to Action #57, learning opportunities provide the City’s staff with the cultural competency needed to meaningfully understand and advance reconciliation. 

The Coquitlam Public Library is hosting an Indigenous Plant Walk and Speaker Session

  • wə ʔayəm kʷs niʔ ct ʔiməx - we walk slowly Indigenous Plant Walk Plant Walk is on Saturday, June 13 at 2 p.m. (City Centre), providing an opportunity to learn about the local native, medicinal and edible plants that are found in the area. For more information or to register, please visit the library’s event webpage.
  • Public Arts in Public Cities speaker session is on Saturday, June 20 at 1 p.m. (Poirier), led by Indigenous planner, filmmaker, and educator, Kamala Jasmine Todd for a public talk considering the importance of Indigenous visibility and re-storying urban landscapes in thinking about how we build health, culturally resilient cities. For more information or to register, please visit the library’s event webpage.

Evergreen Arts is hosting two events in June

  • Lure Opening Reception: Fishing Kitchen Party is on Thursday, June 11 at 6 p.m. Bring your stories, songs and fishing lore to celebrate the opening of Lure. Enjoy live music, good food and warm conversation in the lobby of Evergreen Arts and take in the art of Lure, which looks at fishing through the eyes of six contemporary artists. This thematic group exhibition includes work by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists across Canada with ties to the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, and the freshwater bodies that flow between. Together the artists explore the complex social and cultural significance of the ancient yet everyday activity of fishing. For more information, please visit the Evergreen Arts website. 
  • Wool Weaving Workshop with Spelexilh, Anjeanette Dawson is on Tuesday June 23 at 6:30 p.m. Join gallery staff for a guided tour of the current exhibition, followed by a hands-on weaving workshop led by Spelexilh, Anjeanette Dawson. Anjeanette Dawson is a traditional wool weaver, knowledge keeper, storyteller, and Indigenous educator who brings rich cultural teachings into her practice. For more information, please visit the Evergreen Arts website.

Ideas for Recognizing National Indigenous Peoples Day

Learning about Indigenous peoples’ history and culture is a step each of us can take on the path to reconciliation. To help support your journey, we are sharing links to activities and learning resources.