National Indigenous Peoples Day underway in Saskatoon and Regina
CBC News | Posted: June 21, 2018 9:04 PM | Last Updated: June 22, 2018
Snapshots of the day's celebrations
National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations kicked off in both Saskatoon and Regina Thursday morning.
A Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation took place in downtown Saskatoon starting at 9:30 a.m.
Mayor Charlie Clark walked alongside Saskatoon Tribal Council chief Mark Arcand.
Steven Ross, the head of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association, grinned from the back of a golf cart.
Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper was along among the walkers.
Members of the Saskatoon Sikh Society handed out water bottles to walkers once they arrived at Victoria Park for further celebrations.
Nahanni Olson and her family were at the park.
"We are here as a family of a survivor of a residential school and Indigenous peoples in Canada trying to build relationships with settler Canadians and help build up Indigenous community as well."
Saskatoon Morning host Leisha Grebinski captured some of the scene later in the afternoon.
The City of Regina held its sixth annual celebration of the holiday with events at Victoria Park and City Square.
During a speech by Police Chief Evan Bray, several people stood in silent protest.
According to a post from the Facebook group "Colonialism No More", the protesters were there to express disapproval with the removal two days earlier of three people from a "justice" camp near the Saskatchewan legislature.
The camp, founded in the aftermath of the Gerald Stanley and Raymond Cormier verdicts, was installed more than three months ago.
Later Thursday, Victoria Park and City Square saw a number of planned performances including powwow dancers and jiggers.
Hip hop artist BJ Lang. also entertained the crowd.
The kids seemed to dig it.
Camille, a volunteer, said the event "helps to bring awareness, culturally. You get to understand a lot of Indigenous culture and get to see it up and close."