The holiday that deserves more recognition
In Canada, the month of June is designated as National Indigenous History Month and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is done in deference to Indigenous cultures, where the summer solstice (the longest day of the year) is culturally significant and is used by Indigenous peoples to celebrate their heritage.
Similar to what occurs during Black History Month, National Indigenous History Month is filled with events that spotlight Indigenous histories, languages and ways of life. First Nations, Metis and Inuit people are honoured through film showings, museum exhibits, and other events that highlight the achievements and resilience of indigenous people around Canada.
The month reaches its peak on National Indigenous Peoples Day, with events celebrating the heritage of and supporting reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples – past and present – all over Turtle Island (modern-day North and Central America).
The holiday, birthed from a writing campaign in Regina, is significant to Canadians for many reasons. Firstly, it is a way for both the government of Canada and non-Indigenous peoples of Canada to recognize the existence of a group of people who lived on this land long before Canada became what it is today.
Secondly, it presents the histories, contributions and sufferings of Indigenous peoples outside formal institutions. This humanizes history: making it seem more real and less performative than it can seem in speeches and programs.
Thirdly, it brings Indigenous people back to the spotlight – showing not only the harms that were done to them in the past but the challenges they still face. These harms, that the general public sometimes plays a role in creating or maintaining, are often forgotten because the injustices and people harmed seemed out of sight.
National Indigenous History Month is also valuable in educating newcomers to Canada and the new generation of Canadians on the influence their existence plays in ways Indigenous people have lived and still live.
Finally, and most importantly, it celebrates Indigenous peoples’ cultures, languages and ways of living as the Indigenes of Turtle Island, ensuring that their cultures are not forgotten: in classrooms, workspaces, recreational areas and all over Canada. As such, it is not a holiday for just Indigenous people, it is one that all Canadians can participate in and enjoy.
This becomes challenging since National Indigenous History Month occurs during the examination month for K-12 schools in Canada. This means that oftentimes, students do not get the opportunity to learn and explore Indigenous history in the ways it should be explored in an educational institution during a commemorative season.
Due to the nature of the Canadian school schedule, National Indigenous History Month is not explored with much depth. This will eventually create generations of students that are passive about the holiday because they never had comprehensive interactions with it while growing up.
As such, students grow into adults that never celebrated National Indigenous History Month – and don’t care much about starting to celebrate it as adults with a lot on their hands. While this problem can not be completely solved, its effects can be mitigated with planned interactive events during the holiday targeting the participation of K-12 students. These events can also be made family friendly so they can serve as a great way to unwind in the midst of exams, or start off the summer after schools close.
However, this isn’t the only barrier obscuring National Indigenous History Month. National Indigenous History Month isn’t the only celebration in June. While there are several celebrations, the other holiday that probably comes to mind is Pride Month. Pride Month became an official Canadian celebration in 2016 starting off the Canadian Pride Season that lasts from June till September.
In Canada, June commemorates the several movements pivotal to queer activism in Canada and the United States. Often held in June, Pride Month celebrates 2SGBTQIA+ peoples’ histories, achievements and resilience in several countries. During Pride Month, there are parties, parades, and other events that spotlight 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples across Canada. In addition, there are several brands that release Pride merchandise during Pride Month in and outside of Canada.
While these are both important holidays celebrating marginalized groups, National Indigenous History Month can get overlooked in the celebration of Pride. The tendency of businesses, organizations and people to favour one event over another exists.
However, this is not the result of deliberate negligence; Pride Month, which also happens to be celebrated in several other countries, tends to occupy our screens as a result. Moreover, social media feeds and streaming services (that happen to be predominantly American) place an emphasis on Pride Month when it is celebrated in the United States. Thus, National Indigenous History Month tends to fade from the forefront of our minds.
This is not a problem of celebrants of Pride nor American streaming services. While it is unavoidable that the two events coincide, it is up to the Canadian government to ensure that the Canadian national holiday does not get lost due to globalization and influence from other countries.
National Indigenous History Month deserves more than being an afterthought or a tag on to Pride Month. June should look unique to fit the Canadian context. Indigenous History Month and Pride Month do not need to be mutually exclusive events.
However, this requires intentionality on the part of the Canadian government while celebrating both events – by not discounting the very real historical struggles embodied in Pride and National Indigenous History Month.
Similarly, the intersectionalities between Pride and Indigenous History can be celebrated as part of the month. June has the potential to boast a celebration unlike anywhere in the world — commemorating the achievements of Indigenous and queer people, and celebrating the intersectionalities between the two groups and highlighting their individualities.
However, this big vision has to start with us honouring our National Indigenous History Month in Canada and taking advantage of the activities that currently celebrate it in full before looking to expand it. From festivals to pow-wows, there are a wealth of activities happening all over Canada. This June, take some time off to celebrate National Indigenous History Month – and learn a new side of Turtle Island that you never knew.
