Here's what's happening in B.C. to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day

National Indigenous Peoples Day will be celebrated across the country on Wednesday, including many events and activities being held in B.C.

The special day acknowledges the diverse culture, heritage and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, including the more than 200 First Nations that call B.C. home. 

Vancouver

The City of Vancouver will be commemorating National Indigenous Peoples Day at Carnegie Community Centre. The event will begin with a welcome from Chief Bill Williams of the Squamish Nation and Carleen Thomas from Tsleil-Waututh Nation. The day will also feature crafts, smudging, cultural performances from Muttdog, Carnegie's lexwst'i:lem drum group, Big Drum with John Sam and two-spirit Anishinaabe dancer Larissa Healey. 

Main Street, between East Hastings and East Pender, will be closed between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

The public is invited to join the celebrations starting at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Student celebration

More than 700 students and staff from 30 schools will be gathering at the Vancouver School Board (VSB) education centre on West Broadway to celebrate and honour the rich culture of Indigenous peoples.

There will be a nine-metre teepee painted by Anishinaabe and Ojibwe artist Sharifah Marsden and a long list of cultural performers including Indigenous hip-hop group Curtis Clear Sky and the Constellationz and Tsatsu Stalkqayu's Coastal Wolf Pack, a group of Coast Salish singers, drummers and dancers. 

"This whole area belonged to the Coast Salish people at one point in time. So it's important to me that people understand and appreciate the land they stand on," said Iona Paul, founder of the Coastal Wolf Pack. 

Paul grew up on Tsartlip First Nation in the Saanich Penisula, near Victoria. For more than a decade, she's been performing alongside her husband, sons and 18 grandchildren, with the aim of educating more people about Coast Salish culture and heritage through traditional song and dance. 

"When we first come out, I'll see someone and they don't know what to expect and then I'll look at them at the end of our performance and they're smiling and they're clapping ... that is my proudest moment," Paul told CBC News. 

The district's Indigenous education department will also be debuting Drums Across the World, a video compiled by staff exploring traditional song, story, dance or teachings honouring Indigenous histories, knowledge and cultures from around the world.

"For myself as an Indigenous woman, growing up in a time where we saw nothing of who we were, of positivity in our education, the time has now changed," said Chas Desjarlais, acting director of instruction for Indigenous Education at the Vancouver School Board.

Desjarlais is a member of Cold Lake First Nations and a Treaty Six First Nation. 

"I look at my youngest daughter who is in Grade 5 ... the fact that she's able to receive a cultural education, I think really brings me hope."

The event takes place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and is open to the public. 

Memorial pole tour 

A memorial pole honouring residential school victims, carved by Kwakiutl artist Stan Hunt, has been touring Vancouver Island this month, stopping in communities along the way. On Tuesday, it will be transported from Victoria to Vancouver, where it will be part of a ceremony at Canada Place on Wednesday. 

Burnaby

The City of Burnaby will be showcasing the work of Indigenous artists, performers and storytellers with a community event at Edmonds Plaza and Park, from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. 

"This is an opportunity for our entire community to come together to celebrate and learn about Indigenous people and culture, and to recognize the importance of working toward reconciliation," said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley in a news release. 

The outdoor festival will include performances featuring dance, spoken word, storytelling and Indigenous artisans.

Surrey

An Indigenous-led celebration will take over the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre in Cloverdale, from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. 

The event will open with a welcome by Semiahmoo, Kwantlen, and Katzie First Nations, and will include cultural sharing from local First Nations with teachings through art, music, storytelling and dance. 

"For our non-Indigenous friends and neighbours, it allows them to learn more about the trials and tribulations that we've gone through over the years and now being able to see and celebrate the beauty of culture and language," said Chief Harley Chappell of the Semiahmoo First Nation. 

"It really does bring us full circle in the sense of the nation healing from some of our atrocities that happened in the past."

White Rock 

Chief Chappell will be joining the City of White Rock to share the oral history of "P'Quals", which means white rock, and how it came to rest on the shores of Semiahmoo Bay. People are invited to gather at the iconic white rock, east of the Pier, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Cranbrook 

On Tuesday, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m., a celebration of Indigenous culture hosted by Ktunaxa will take place in Cranbrook's Rotary Park.

The festivities will continue into Wednesday, with a border walk at the Roosville Border at 10 a.m. The walk will be followed by lunch at the administration building, then dance demonstrations, traditional games, youth programs and cultural activities. 

Prince George 

From drumming and dancing to Elder stories and food vendors, Lheidli T'enneh First Nation will bring Prince George and the surrounding areas a three-day celebration of music and culture, starting Wednesday and running through Friday.

The event will be held at Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park and on Friday it will move indoors to the Omineca Arts Centre for an open mic series in conjunction with an Indigenous group art exhibition. 

Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert's 25th National Indigenous Day is being held at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre Arena on Wednesday, from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. The event will include drummers, a red dress tribute, a Métis dance workshop and more. 

Kamloops 

Tk'emlups te Secwépemc will be hosting a celebration at the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc Powwow Arbour from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m.