To mark National Aboriginal History Month in June, several federal departments and organizations across Canada, including the Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec, are organizing activities to celebrate history, heritage, culture, diversity and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis to the country.
The Ministers of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services, Marc Miller and Patty Hajdu, and Ministers of Northern Affairs and Canadian Heritage, Daniel Vandal and Pablo Rodriguez, issued a joint statement on Wednesday to mark the start of the commemorations that will end on June 21 along with National Indigenous Peoples Day.
In light of the past year, we recognize the horrific discoveries made by communities across the country, the legacy of residential schools, and the damage deliberately done to certain families over generations as a result of a policywrite federal ministers.
This month, we invite Canadians to be aware of the facts about our common land and think about ways to make a personal commitment to reconciliation.They said.
Ministers are welcome Canadians across the country [à] seek throughout the year to deepen their knowledge and experience the traditions and customs of the Aboriginals.
In 2022 which also marked the beginning of the Decade of Indigenous Languages, the Ministerial Statement is also available upon request in selected First Nations languages, including Atikamekw, Dene, Innu, Inuktitut, Mi ’kmaw and mohawk.
BAnQ invites itself into First Nations culture
The Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (BAnQ) has announced a calendar of its activities that will feature the history and culture of the Aboriginal people. Free programming will begin at the Grande Bibliothèque on June 2, and much content will be available on the web.
First, from June 6 to 30, one hundred expressions in the Wendat language will be displayed in front of the Grande Bibliothèque in the evening. These images are derived from a Dictionary of the Huron language and an old book called The great journey of the land of the Hurons – and which are derived from the collections of BAnQ. This work will also be on display along with old books in Aboriginal languages from June 17 to 21 at the Grande Bibliothèque.
Two free shows will also be on display on the Grande Bibliothèque site. On June 17, Innu singer and storyteller Mike Paul will perform at the Jardin d’art. Tomorrow, Natasha Kanapé Fontaine will read I am a cursed savage in Innu. This work by An Antane Kapesh will have French subtitles, and will be accompanied by photos.
Every Thursday of June starting at 2 pm, the Grande Bibliothèque will show films, including Beans, Kill the Indian child, my name is man, The Invisible People at Kuessipan.
The Pavilion on level 4 of the Grande Bibliothèque will be dedicated to Aboriginal music throughout the month.
Finally, some works by artist Nancy Saunders will be on display near the National Archives in Montreal on Avenue Viger Est.
Indigenous language in the spotlight
A creative workshop will also allow young people aged 6 to 13 to learn about the Inuit language and culture. In this workshop on June 12, multidisciplinary artist Niap and author Olivia Ikey Duncan will present phrases to young Inuktitut participants and teach them how to write using this alphabet. They will have the opportunity to write their name or a word, in addition to decorating a sweater or a bag.
On its website, BAnQ will also offer 13 stories in native languages that children can listen to online through the R@tell-me a story service.
The programming offered by BAnQ as part of National Indigenous History Month and the calendar of activities is available on the institution’s website.
Source: Radio-Canada
