Kirsten Meehan, City of Kawartha Lakes
KAWARTHA LAKES: On June 21st, Kawartha Lakes will honour and celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated on the summer solstice – the longest day of the year. This holds a special significance for Indigenous Peoples who have gathered on this day for centuries to observe the life summer brings and people’s relationship with the natural world and traditional practices.
The day is also now dedicated to recognizing the rich cultures, traditions and historic contributions of Indigenous peoples across Canada. It is an opportunity to learn more about the diverse heritage of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, and to reflect on the significant role and foundational contributions they made historically and to today’s society.
This includes acknowledging past injustices, the impacts of colonialism past and present and working towards a future where everyone is equal and treated with respect and dignity. Visit www.kawarthalakes.ca/indigenous to find library materials for all ages. You can learn more about Indigenous history, including the Residential School experience and the ongoing Truth & Reconciliation process.
“The City of Kawartha Lakes respectfully acknowledges we are situated on Mississauga lands and the traditional territory covered by the Williams Treaties,” said Mayor Doug Elmslie at the June 4th Committee of the Whole meeting. Adding, “We are grateful for the opportunity to work here and we thank all the generations of people who have taken care of this land, for thousands of years. We recognize and deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place. We also recognize the contributions of Métis, Inuit and other Indigenous peoples, both in shaping and strengthening this community and country as a whole. This recognition is connected to our collective commitment to make the promise and the challenge of Truth and Reconciliation real in our community.”