National Indigenous People's Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and unity as the community came together to honor and recognize the contributions of Indigenous peoples.
The day kicked off with a vibrant pancake breakfast hosted by Ma-Mow-We-Tak, drawing in a crowd of around 400 attendees. This year marked the first time the organization hosted its own event on the holiday, deviating from their usual support for other Indigenous events. Notably, community council members, including Mayor Colleen Smook, generously served pancakes to the attendees, with the city of Thompson contributing $3,000 towards the breakfast.
Assistant Director Tanika Beebe expressed the significance of celebrating Indigenous culture alongside non-Indigenous individuals, emphasizing the unity and mutual respect shown throughout the event.
“Just celebrating Indigenous people, being all together, but we also have a lot of non-indigenous people and this shows that we can bring our cultures together and celebrate one another” Said Beebe.
As the day progressed, attendees flocked to various events at the Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC) and Sponsored Vale.
George Neepin, CEO of KTC, hailed the event as a platform to showcase their programs and engage with the community through activities such as a fishing pond, cotton candy, and even a neck bone competition.
“This is a wonderful event where we get to promote our programs” Neepin addressed, “and we have booths catered to the young ones, we have a fishing pond, and cotton candy, and the neck bone competition this year which is a new event that the staff decided to put on. Much of what we do is put on by the staff at our office”
This marked the second year that KTC successfully hosted an event in honor of National Indigenous People's Day, drawing in nearly 300 participants at any given time throughout the day.
A multitude of organizations, including Public Health, Diabetes and Harm Reduction, set up engaging booths. Attendees enjoyed a wide range of attractions, from food vendors and bouncy houses to a kiddie's fishing pool and live music, culminating in lively dance competitions for all age groups.
The festivities concluded at the City Hall grounds, where live music filled the air, keeping attendees jovial and engaged in traditional dances and laughter competitions. The day's events truly epitomized the collective celebration and respect for Indigenous culture, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie within the entire community.
