Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day with free community events

Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and the Town of Strathmore is honouring the day with two free events to celebrate and learn about Indigenous culture.

At 5:00 p.m. the Town will host a National Indigenous Peoples Day Community Gathering at Kinsmen Park Amphitheatre that all are welcome to attend, which will feature performances from dancers and drummers, followed by some mint tea and fry bread. After the Kinsmen Park gathering, the Town will host a free powwow dance class hosted at the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre at 6:00 p.m. This class is designed for all ages and skill levels, and so long as you have a good pair of indoor dancing shoes you'll be able to participate.

The Town of Strathmore's Indigenous Liaison Astokomii Smith is looking forward to celebrating with the community, saying "events like these provide an opportunity to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture and traditions."

"By participating in these events we can promote cultural awareness and respect while also building connections and relationships with the Indigenous community," she said.

Smith hopes many community members take the opportunity to learn more about Indigenous culture, as she said many people may have never received the opportunity to learn, so joining the community at today's free events would be both fun and educational.

"The education and promotion of Indigenous culture and traditions in Canada remains crucial as there is still little understanding of the history and customs."

On a personal level, Smith added she really enjoys having the chance to celebrate her culture with people of all backgrounds, as she finds it rewarding to help others have a better understanding of Indigenous traditions and create that deeper connection between different cultures.

"I have spent a lot of time learning our ways from family, elders, and knowledge keepers. Not so I can keep these teaching for myself, but to share with others. The sharing of information in the teachings is empowering and it perpetuates the knowledge forever."

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