City set to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day

By Lethbridge Herald on June 20, 2023.

Kainai dancers lead the grand entry during last year’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at Fort Whoop-Up. Herald file photo

Steffanie Costigan – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Galt Museum is celebrating National Indigenous People’s Day at Fort Whoop-Up today, and will honour the national celebration with a variety of activities.

Fort Whoop-Up site co-ordinator for the Galt Museum, Connor Kenney, said spectators will, among other things, learn about the history of Niitsitapi.

“It starts right off from their creation origin with Napi and how he brought life to the land, and it kind of transitions into how they’re different lenses,” Kenney says.

Indigenous Peoples Day at Fort Whoop-Up will run from 1-4 p.m., and admission for the event is whatever people want to pay.

“Kind of a main launch of the main season and it’s a pay-what-you-want day so anyone can come in as a group. You can decide how much you’d like to pay. It’s open for everyone, wagon rides will be available, ice cream is in stock, so feel free to just pop on down and get a new look at the Niitsitapi gallery that was just completely redone over the winter.”

The celebration will start with a blessing by an Indigenous Elder, and people will learn about the relationship between the Niitsitapi people, the fort and the trading that took place there.

“The Niitsitapi and the fort have a very conjoined kind of relationship. At first it started off with trading stuff and then when it moved into kind of more the whiskey dominated trading and kind of the travesties that happened with alcohol, and then also deals with the fall of the fort after it was no longer available.” 

The grand opening of the new Blackfoot Gallery will be part of the celebration, along with Indigenous crafts, vendors and food trucks.

Kenney said coming together to honour culture and tradition helps unite communities.

“I think just kind of acknowledging the community building between not only the Niitsitapi, but also the people here in Lethbridge. And it’s just a nice way of kind of starting everything from a good standing point and realize that we can do a lot more together.

“By honouring tradition, especially on the traditional territory that we reside on, I think it’s just a good way to kind of help bring those two communities together on the right footing.”

Other events and activities are also scheduled for venues around Lethbridge.

Opening ceremonies are set to be held at the flag poles outside Lethbridge city hall at 10 a.m. 

A full slate of events will be happening at Galt Gardens and the Lethbridge Public Library will be hosting activities throughout the day. 

Among a number of events continuing through the end of the week, the Interfaith Foodbank will be the site of Indigenous Wisdom Yoga during the Friday noon hour in its Indigenous Healing Garden.

For more information and a full list of activities see http://www.lethbridge.ca/news/posts/national-indigenous-peoples-day-events/