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What to expect from KANA’TA: Canada Day 2022

A dancer performing an Indigenous Mi'kmaq powwow dance on stage during last year's Canada Day festival.
Last year's Canada Day festival in Halifax: a dancer performs the traditional Mi'kmaq powwow dance. Photo contributed.
Sara Gouda - CKDU - Halifax • NS | 30-06-2022
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KANA’TA: Canada Day 2022 is the new, re-envisioned format for Canada Day in Halifax. This year, the day will offer a variety of new and refreshed cultural, musical, and family-oriented events to enjoy this Friday, July 1.

Developed in close collaboration with Indigenous communities, KANA’TA: Canada Day 2022 offers programming that honours the traditions of the Mi’kmaw Nation and celebrates pan-Indigenous communities that call the region home.

Cheryl Copage-Gehue is the urban Indigenous community adviser for the Halifax Regional Municipality. She works with the city and helps advise them on work toward reconciliation as an organization but also as a larger community.

Kanata is the origin name of Canada, meaning "village" or "settlement" in the Iroquoian language, and Copague-Gehue said it is how Mi’kmaq say "Canada" in their language.

Portrait photo of HRM Urban Indigenous Community Advisor Cheryl Copage-Gehue smiling.

HRM Urban Indigenous Community Advisor Cheryl Copage-Gehue works with the city and helps advise them on work toward reconciliation. Photo contributed.

She said the idea for the new cultural event started last year in May when unmarked graves were discovered in Kamloops. 

“When the 215 unmarked graves were discovered in Kamloops, that got our Indigenous community to start rethinking about our relationship with Canada in this country, and our shared histories together.”

She added that after consulting with Atlantic chiefs, they thought the best way to move forward was to create more opportunities to learn about Indigenous history and culture, and be reflective of the treaties of peace and friendship.

“The City of Halifax has worked very closely with our partners in Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre, and other Indigenous advisers to help design and reflect to design a day that would be reflective of our magma nation who are original to this territory, but also will give an opportunity to showcase our other vibrant indigenous community here in Halifax.”

Photo of a dancer performing the traditional Mi'kmaq powwow last year during Canada Day.

KANA'TA: Canada Day 2022 will include dance performances, concerts, Indigenous foods, craft activities, finger weaving, sealskin bracelets workshops and more. Photo contributed.

KANA’TA: Canada Day 2022 programming will include Mawio’mi on the Commons, the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Canada Day Parade, a Dartmouth Summer Sunshine Series free concert, and a KANA’TA x Grand Oasis Festival free concert – featuring co-headliners Neon Dreams and Crown Lands, supported by Drives The Common Man, DeeDee Austin, and Eastern Eagle. The KANA’TA x Grand Oasis Festival concert event will be hosted by Garratt Gloade, and free passes are available here. 

KANA’TA: Canada Day 2022 will also offer three separate, community-based fireworks and pyrotechnics shows in Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford. 

In addition, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 and the Halifax Citadel National Historic site will be offering free admission on Friday, July 1. 

Halifax Transit will be offering free transit service on Friday, Jul. 1, as part of the municipality’s Free Fares Fridays & Free Sail Saturdays program.

Listen to the CKDU story below:

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