What to do in Montreal for National Indigenous Peoples Day?

Established in 1996 by Governor General Roméo Leblanc, the day of the summer solstice will be celebrated across Canada.

In Montreal, it traditionally begins at the Sunrise, at 5 a.m., at the First Nations Garden (Botanical Garden).

The longest day of the year, is a day of solar celebration which corresponds among indigenous peoples to a renewal of vows to live in harmony with the environment which ensures the survival and well-being of the group.mentions André Dudemaine, founder of Terres en Vues, ​​the organization behind these festivities.

” Long before the conquest, the oral histories of several Aboriginal nations show that some peoples had sufficiently advanced astronomical notions to understand that when the sun was less present with us at one time of the year, it was more so for others. , somewhere else. »

For the record, the organization he heads has been organizing the festivities surrounding this day since 1995, one year before the official creation of this pan-Canadian day.

The ceremony will be webcast on the First Peoples’ Facebook page (New window).

When the sun is at its zenith, the public is invited to the Quai de l’horloge in the Old Port. On the menu starting at 11:30 a.m.: greetings from Mohawk elders, performances by the Buffalo Hat Singers, Innu singer Kanen and traditional dances.

The festival of light is also a celebration of encounters and friendship since it corresponded to the time when the rivers were thawed and conducive to navigation and therefore to exchanges.underlines Mr. Dudemaine who invites all citizens to come and connect with one of the oldest activities on the continent.

The Grand Chief of Kahnawake, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, will speak, as well as the Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante. Quebec Minister of Indigenous Affairs Ian Lafrenière had to decline the invitation for reasons beyond his control.

Last Friday, Minister Lafrenière presented a $141 million government action plan over 5 years that includes six areas: language, women, education, health, justice and socioeconomic conditions of Aboriginal people.

In the short term, however, the issue of Aboriginal homelessness continues to pose challenges, while in Kahnawake, the Mohawk community is struggling to assert its rights to the former lands of the Seigneurie de Sault Saint-Louis claimed by the neighboring town. of Chateauguay.

In the afternoon, back to the Botanical Garden, where Indigenous Spaces is hosting a webcast interview with federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Marc Miller. The latter will be interviewed live at 1:30 p.m. (New window) by three Indigenous journalists: Murielle Rock, from SOCAM (Atikamekw-Montagnais Communication Company), Shushan Bacon, from APTN (Indigenous Peoples Television Network) and Gabrielle Paul from Espaces INDIgenes.

In particular, it will be a question of access to drinking water (29 communities (New window) are currently still deprived of it in the long term, including one for more than 10,000 days), systemic racism and missing or murdered women (in Quebec, they would be more than double the figures of the RCMPaccording to an article by Montreal Journal).

Afterwards, head to Cabot Square where several free performances by artists are scheduled from 3 p.m., including those by Elisapie, Cris Derksen, Drezus, Mike Paul and Scott Sinqua.

Other institutions are involved:

Other institutions have decided to mark Indigenous Peoples Day as

• UQAM (New window) presents a round table with three Aboriginal students, a screening of Wapikoni films and an exhibition by artists Alanis Obomsawin and Geronimo Inutiq);
• McGill University (New window) organizes a ceremony, where the flag representing the wampum belt of Hiawatha (symbol of peace) will be hoisted at the top of the Pavilion of the arts;
• The City of Westmount (New window) presents Wendat artist Eadsé at Westmount Park at 5 p.m.;
• If you can’t come, ICI-Télé, Télé-Québec and ICI-Musique broadcast at 8 p.m. The Great Solsticean outdoor concert where Samian, Anachnid, Scott-Pien Picard, Aysanabee and Beatrice Deer will perform.