Celebrating culture

Rebecca Taylor grew up immersed in the Aboriginal way of life, but having moved to the city she says she’s worried her young daughter might miss out on an important part of her culture.

On Monday Taylor and her daughter were front-and-centre at Chippewa Park, celebrating National Aboriginal Day with hundreds who gathered for an afternoon of food, music and dance.

"It’s rare that we see it in Thunder Bay, being in an urban area, so I’d like to get her out to as many activities as possible," Taylor said.

"Her father and I grew up in the culture and we would like to bring her up the same way as well, so we’re trying as best we can."

Wiingaashk, using her First Nations name, said the summer solstice has always been a traditional gathering time for her people, a time to celebrate culture and share it with others.

"There’s a lot of similarity. We’re all connected to the land. We’ve just recently been removed. It just teaches and gives that feeling to bring yourself back to the land. I think it’s just a great time for all of us to gather here today."

Stephanie Feletto, the chairwoman for the Thunder Bay National Aboriginal Day committee, said it’s a day for everyone to share in their accomplishments and culture and provide insight into their traditional way of life.

"It’s a day for all Canadians and everybody in the entire community to come out and share in the demonstrations and exhibitions."

The day began with the grand entry, a celebration of music and traditional, full-costumed dance drawn from a variety of different First Nations cultures.

"We’ve got some men dressed in their traditional regalia, and some women, and we’ve also got a lot of young children who are participating. The drummers and singers will be singing songs too," Feletto said.

"Our culture is so rich, there’s so much to be able to share, and the powwow is a good opportunity for that. A lot of people like the different dances, the colours. The amount of work that our dancers put into their regalia is spectacular."

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy said the event, first declared in 1996, is a way to show just how far his people have come since Confederation.

"It’s an important time to be aware of those contributions," Beardy said. ‘We celebrate this day in hopes of maintaining positive working relations with the rest of Canada. We have to ensure that the history of First Nations people is accurately reflected and that our treaties are honoured, in order to create a better future for our youth."