Aboriginal Day, National

June 21

To foster respect and appreciation for the traditions and cultures of Canada's indigenous peoples, the government in 1996 designated the summer solstice as National Aboriginal Day. Long before the national holiday was established, this day of the year had been observed by Canada's Inuit, MÉtis, and First Nations peoples as a summer celebration commemorating Aboriginal heritage. Coordinating with National Aboriginal organizations, the Canadian government made June 21 an official holiday with the objective of including all citizens in the observance.
Celebrations take place throughout Canada's provinces and territories and are organized by the regional offices of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Canadian Heritage. Some festivities are modest celebrations like summer barbecues and picnics, while others exhibit a stronger focus on culture and tradition by holding canoe races, powwows, and awareness events.
Since becoming an official holiday, National Aboriginal Day has been designated the opening day of Celebrate Canada! This 11-day celebration also includes St-Jean Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day, and Canada Day.

CONTACTS:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H4 Canada
www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/index-eng.asp

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References in periodicals archive

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Ring the bells

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Several hundred people unfurled 1,000 blankets on the lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa on June 21, National Aboriginal Day. The ceremony called for the restoration of land to aboriginal people and represented a reversal of the "blanket exercise" in which blankets are rolled up to symbolize the dispossession of aboriginal people from their land.

Unrolling blankets for aboriginal rights