Celebrating Indigenous History
June is National Indigenous History Month. Throughout this month, we recognize, honour, and celebrate the diverse cultures, heritage, languages, traditions, and achievements of all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
This year, each week of National Indigenous History Month will be dedicated to a different theme. The themes highlight Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people; the environment, traditional knowledge, and territory; children and youth; languages, cultures, and art; and reconciliation. Keep an eye on this page and follow along with NNPBC on social media as we celebrate each of these themes throughout June.
National Indigenous Peoples Day: June 21
For generations, many Indigenous communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near June 21 due to its significance as the summer solstice and longest day of the year. In 1996, in alliance with Indigenous organizations and communities, the Government of Canada proclaimed June 21 as National Indigenous Peoples Day (then National Aboriginal Day) so that all Canadians could participate by learning more about the cultures, customs, lands, and traditions of Indigenous peoples.
#NIHM2023 #NIPD2023
Learn More
Art, Culture, Film and Radio
- #IndigenousReads
- First Peoples' Cultural Council
- Indigenous Arts & Stories Collection (Historica Canada project)
- Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada
- Lived experiences: audio and video messages
- National Film Board of Canada: Indigenous Cinema
- National Gallery of Canada: Indigenous Ways and Decolonization
- REEL Canada: Indigenous-Made Films Catalogue
- UBC Library: First Nations Languages of BC
Reports
- In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care, Full Report
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: Database of Reports
- National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health: Aboriginal Women in Canada: Gender, Socio-Economic Determinants of Health, and Initiatives to Close the Wellness Gap (R. Halseth)
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and In Plain Sight
Courses
Events
- Indigenous Tourism BC: List of events
- Four Seasons Cultural Society Pow Wow Between the Lakes, "Healing the Nation", June 23-25
- Royal Roads University: National Indigenous Peoples Day 2023, June 21
- University of British Columbia: Indigenous History Month events
- Vancouver Public Library: National Indigenous History Month events
Traditional Lands and Ways
- CAUT - Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples & Traditional Territory
- Native-Land.ca - Learn about Indigenous territories, lands, treaties and languages
- UNESCO - Land as teacher: understanding Indigenous land-based education
- YouTube - Indigenous Voices for Nature Conservation (videos)
- YouTube - National Indigenous History Month in collaboration with Parks Canada (videos)
Health Research
- CIHR Indigenous Health Research
- CIHR Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health
- First Nations Health Authority: Research Resources
- National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health: Indigenous Health Researchers Database
- Research Canada: Indigenous Health Research
- Issues Brief on BCCNM Practice Standard: Indigenous cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti-racism
