Throughout the month of June, students and staff in Catholic schools across Windsor-Essex will be celebrating the countless contributions that Indigenous peoples have, and continue to make toward the betterment of our communities and our country.
June is National Indigenous History Month, an opportunity to learn about the unique cultures, traditions and experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and to honour the stories, achievements and resilience of Indigenous Peoples, who have lived on this land since time immemorial.
“We have a wide variety of engaging activities planned that will help our students learn about the history of Indigenous people in Windsor-Essex and Canada, as well as the importance of respecting their traditions and values,” said Darlene Marshall, the WECDSB’s Indigenous Education Teacher Lead. “It’s really important for our students to know that this is about celebrating Indigenous Peoples.”
Given that Indigenous Peoples Day falls on June 21, we’ll be posting 21 Fascinating Facts You May Not Know to our Indigenous Voices web page, as well as our social media platforms. Each school day throughout the month we will post fascinating new facts about First Nations, Métis and Inuit People from across the country and right here in our community.
Some of the activities planned for June include visits from Pow Wow dancers, virtual lessons by celebrated Indigenous authors, a lacrosse experience, water walks to learn about the importance of preserving our waterways, Indigenous arts lessons, lunch and learns, and many more.
It’s also important to remember that celebrating Indigenous Peoples isn’t just limited to the month of June, so here’s a list of significant dates for you to mark on your calendar throughout the entire year:
September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
October 4: Sisters in Spirit Day (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness)
October 17: Secret Path Week (Downie-Wenjack Fund: Legacy Schools)
October 20-25: ImagiNative Film Festival
November 5-11: Treaty Recognition Week
November 8: National Indigenous Veteran’s Day
November 16: Louis Riel Day
December 21: Quviasukvik: Inuit Winter Solstice Feast (Chivaree)
January 15: Return of the Sun Nunavut Festival
February: Maple Syrup (Sweetwater) all month
February 14: Have a Heart Day (Youth-led reconciliation event)
March 22: World Water Day
April 22: Earth Day
May: Water Walks (all month)
May 5: REDress (MMIWG awareness day)
May 10: Bear Witness (Jordan's Principle)
May 11: Moose Hide Campaign Day
June: National Indigenous History Month; Strawberry Feast (all month)
June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day
July 9: Nunavut Day
July: Blueberry Celebrations (all month)
July 14: St. Kateri Tekakwitha’s Feast Day
July 24: Métis Day
August 9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples