Sask. celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day with dancing, march — and a new logo design for Roughriders

People across Saskatchewan celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day on Saturday, hosting a range of gatherings at museums, cultural centres and public parks. 

National Indigenous Peoples Day has been observed nationally every June 21 since 1996 to celebrate and highlight the unique cultures, languages and traditions of Canada's Indigenous communities.

Celebrations in Saskatchewan began on Friday, allowing schools to participate, with the City of Regina hosting an event in Victoria Park. Hundreds of people gathered for dancing performances, educational experiences and a grand entry of local Indigenous and community leaders.

"It's really important to the people to know that we are valued within Regina and within Saskatchewan as Indigenous people, and that we are not an invisible minority," said Ashley Poorman-Rope, who attended the event.

"It's important to know that we do exist and our culture does continue to thrive."

Several local schools participated in the event, giving students the opportunity to engage with the cultural presentations and try dance lessons.

"We're talking to the kids about why this was important and showing them," said Georgina Lee, who teaches grades 6 and 7 at Marion McVeety elementary school in Regina.

"We have a lot of new immigrant families at our school and a lot of newcomers, so this is most of their first time doing this, having this experience."

The gathering in Victoria Park was followed by events at Royal Saskatchewan Museum, which hosted special displays of Indigenous artifacts, organized beading activities and showcased a song by the Kawacatoose Boys' Singers and Dance Troupe.

"It's such an important day to be celebrating," said Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross at the event, saying it's important "we celebrate and all learn and appreciate our culture in Saskatchewan."

Celebrations also began Friday in Saskatoon, with several thousand people attending the Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation procession, which honoured residential school victims and survivors.

Many attendees wore orange — the colour associated with reconciliation and remembrance of residential school survivors — to the event, which was accompanied with drumming, dancing and other performances. 

Shaylynn Naytowhow was one of the marchers. For her, the event demonstrated "reconciliation in action," and that Indigenous identity is worth celebrating. 

"I feel like I'm here for the children," she said. "The children from the past who are now no longer here, but also the children in the present, right now. They need to learn the importance of this, the importance of their identity."