On June 21, Canada celebrates the National Day of Aboriginal peoples.
On June 21, Canada celebrates the National Day of Aboriginal peoples. In collaboration with indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose on June 21, the date of the summer solstice, to be the national day of indigenous peoples. For generations, many indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their cultures and their heritage on this date or on a nearby date, due to the importance of the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year.
June is also the national month of indigenous history and is an opportunity for Canada to recognize and celebrate heritage, various cultures and exceptional contributions from First Nations, Inuit and Métis. These three groups are known as “Aboriginal peoples”. Although these groups have many similarities, they each have a heritage, a language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs that are their own.
Resources about First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada
As part of the initiative of the Community Rugby Canada Rugby Fund which started in 2021, special attention is paid to rugby clubs or community organizations whose projects aim to improve the inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility of rugby within a club, a teaching establishment or a community organization, in particular for Aboriginal communities.
“We strive to promote rugby with Aboriginal communities and young people thanks to camps in summer,” said the director of the Thunder Rugby program John Lyall. Our fund for community rugby helped us organize rugby camps and participate in short tour in British Columbia. We tour in Chilliwack and Kamloops in 2024 thanks to the revenue from a subsidy for community rugby. »»
During his stay in Chilliwack, Thunder Rugby participated in a rugby camp for Aboriginal young people aged 6 to 18, organized in collaboration with local Aboriginal leaders, Rugby Canada and the Aboriginal RCMP police service. Opportunities such as this tour and this camp help the rugby community to engage with local indigenous communities, to promote cultural exchanges and to inspire young generations. They also make it possible to celebrate indigenous culture and heritage and improve the visibility and recognition of indigenous peoples in the Canadian social fabric.
“We encourage organizations to set up or strengthen rugby sectors organized for our young Aboriginal people, to understand and respect the appeals to the action of the Truth Commission and Reconciliation with regard to Sport. It is not easy to establish relationships. »»
“Thunder Rugby encourages everyone to take advantage of the celebrations of the National Day of Aboriginal peoples across the country, to participate and to attend! Our path to reconciliation requires understanding, so take the opportunity, added Lyall. I can’t wait to celebrate, sing, have fun and enjoy an Aboriginal Taco! From the west coast, Hy’chka – Gilakas’la – Kleco Kleco. »»
To learn more about the fund for community rugby Canada rugby, click here.
To find out more about the national month of indigenous history and the national day of indigenous peoples, click on the resources below:
About the national month of Aboriginal history
About the National Day of Aboriginal Peoples
National Center for Truth and Reconciliation
