The rain, snow, and wildfire smoke cleared in Alberta just in time for the celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day on Wednesday.
The day saw celebrations in every corner of the province, from Fort McMurray to Lethbridge, with events featuring powwow dancing, cuisine, art, and more.
Emilea Karhioo Saadeh, strategic planner with the Indigenous Relations Office with the City of Edmonton, spoke with CFWE at the celebration at the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society in central Edmonton and about what National Indigenous Peoples Day means to her.
"It's really impactful to be able to come out and celebrate and be with the community to gather. When I was younger, this was not something that happened, it wasn't something that was talked about. It wasn't something that was celebrated," she said. "It's incredible to be out here today with so many friends and relatives, hearing our language, hearing our songs, seeing arts and crafts, as well for me being able to participate in today with my son."
Down the road from Bent Arrow, in Edmonton's Boyle Street community, the Bissell Centre closed down a portion of the road in front of their outreach center to host their own National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations which saw a few big tents set up where there was traditional dancing, art vendors, and lots of food.
Sarah Higgins, director of Indigenous Engagement and Integrated Family Services at the centre, spent the afternoon helping people who came to the celebration in need, make sure everyone is fed and hydrated, as well as make sure the event went off without a problem.
Being a Métis woman herself, Higgins said that National Indigenous Peoples Day is important to her because it's "a day of thoughtfulness, recognition, and honor to my ancestors, my elders, my children, and my community."
Just outside of Edmonton, the City of Spruce Grove held a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration that featured more dancing, a large barbeque, and the grand opening of the Skydancer Indigenous Cultural Centre and Art Gallery on June 21. The centre and art gallery is a brand-new Indigenous facility in the city and the mayor of Spruce Grove and other dignitaries from the Town of Stoney Plain and Parkland County were present for the ribbon cutting.
Dianne Meili, president of the Skydancer Indigenous Cultural Society, said that National Indigenous Peoples Day means a lot to her.
"It means that we're finally getting recognized. Back in the day, there was such a great divide. It was pretty rough around the edges trying to get people to understand," she said.
After the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in summer 2021, and other sites across the country, Meili said that the public learned more about the history of residential schools and Indigenous peoples.
"When the graves were found, people started to realize that this is real, this is pain, this is what happened to a nation's children. They can take it into their own hearts and realize how they would be affected by that. This is a day for us to celebrate. September 30th is kind of sad because of the truth and reconciliation around the graves that were found, but this day is a celebration [showing] that we're here, we're loud and proud, and you're going to keep hearing from us as we walk together," Meili added.
Listen to the full CFWE interview with Emilea Karhioo Saadeh, Sarah Higgins, and Dianne Meili below:
