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 Pop Up and Film Screening event on Wednesday, June 11 (City Centre) from 2 – 4 p.m. and Thursday, June 19 from 2 – 4 p.m. (Poirier). This event offers an opportunity to learn more about the Indigenous groups of Canada, including through Indigenous films. For more information, please visit the Library’s 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.