The BC Alliance Honours Indigenous History Month
/
In Canada, June is Indigenous History Month. As we make necessary efforts to decolonize and Indigenize our cultural sector, it’s important to celebrate the heritage, cultures and achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
For those serious about the process of reconciliation, one important place to start is to read the recommendations issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. These 94 actions are critical in redressing the legacy of colonialism and advancing the cause of meaningful reconciliation. Read the Calls to Action here.
It’s important to consider not only our actions toward anti-racism and reconciliation, but toward decolonization and Indigenization as well. We recently had the pleasure of working with Ta7talíya Michelle Nahanee, who has created a workbook, Decolonize First, which you can find here.
You can find various resources on the Government of Canada website, including histories, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Keep up with Indigenous news from outlets like APTN and CBC Indigenous.
For lists of resources available to Indigenous folks, check out the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (which includes funding for artists and resources around the critical work of language revitalization) and this guide to Indigenous organizations and services from the Province of BC.
Naturally, we also recommend a healthy helping of Indigenous arts and culture to mark the occasion. Check out works by visual artists like Kent Monkman (whose painting, Water Walker, appears on our Pride banner), Daphne Odjig, Kenojuak Ashevak and Annie Pootoogook. Create a playlist featuring the likes of Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tanya Tagaq or A Tribe Called Red. Or hit up the literary works of the likes of Thomas King, Eden Robinson or Tomson Highway. You can also find a list of recommended reading here.
And support the work of Indigenous-run arts and cultural organizations and those which elevate the work of Indigenous artists, like Full Circle, Savage Society, Raven Spirit Dance, urban ink, Dancers of Damelahamid, Eagle Song Dancers, the Haida Gwaii Museum and the Bill Reid Gallery.
These resources are far from exhaustive, and represent only a fraction of the rich and diverse histories and cultural contributions of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Let’s look together toward a more just, reparative and respectful society. Happy Indigenous History Month from the BC Alliance!
