June 2023
Aaniin (Hello),
I am Indigenous Trustee for the York Region District School Board and a member
of the Chippewas of Georgina Island, the only First Nation in York Region and
one you may recognize YRDSB acknowledging as their “partner in education” when
providing land acknowledgements.
I would like to
offer greetings for the month of June, the month when we recognize and
celebrate the Indigenous People of Canada, our unique status as Canadians, our
history on this land and our many significant contributions. In 1996, Governor
General Romeo LeBlanc declared June 21 as National Aboriginal Peoples Day. He
said, “On June 21st, this year and every year, Canada will honour
the native peoples who first brought humanity to this great land.” In 2017, the
name was formally changed, and we now recognize this day as National Indigenous
Peoples Day.
June 21 was
chosen because it is summer solstice, a time of spiritual significance for
Indigenous people. It is a time when the sun is at the highest point in the sky
and we experience the longest day of the year, and the most amount of daylight.
This is considered powerful medicine and is a time for practicing ceremonies
that honour our interconnection with the land and the cosmos.
The Anishinaabe
also recognize June as the month of the Strawberry moon, Ode’min Giizis. The beautiful
red heart shaped strawberry offers us the teaching of reconciliation and
forgiveness. It is the first berry of the season that brings us that sweetness
for life. June offers us many special gifts and much to be grateful for.
People ask what
they can do to celebrate Indigenous People Day and as Canadians support
Indigenous people in Canada?
We can build
our awareness by reading Indigenous books, listening to Indigenous podcasts,
and attending Indigenous events. We can create positive change and promote public
awareness by lending our support to Indigenous issues. We can also offer land
acknowledgements as we do at the beginning of meetings and events in the YRDSB.
However, I
believe most importantly to Indigenous people across this planet is to
recognize our right to reclaim and practice our Indigenous languages and the important
significance of the earth under our feet. Our traditional knowledge and our cultures
exist in our languages and without the opportunity to learn them in our schools
and speak them in our communities much of our ancestral knowledge will be lost
forever.
Further,
recognizing Indigenous relationship with the land and taking the time to build
land awareness and connection is imperative. We must practice environmental
stewardship and protect our greenspaces. Walk in nature, plant, or hug a tree,
help a turtle across the road, sing to the water, just be with the land. It
does little to offer a land acknowledgement if we do not acknowledge the earth
on which we live. The earth is our mother, this is why we call her “Mother Earth”
in our Anishinaabe creation stories. We are extrinsically interconnected; without
her we would not exist. As her children we must care for her and protect her. Stand with Indigenous people by honouring her,
this is the most important land acknowledgement you can give.
Chi-Miigwech
and Happy Indigenous People’s Day!
Your Indigenous
Trustee, Lauri Hoeg
This is a good resource and activity guide for students
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