National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) is celebrated on June 21, the summer solstice, and this is no coincidence – the longest day of the year is spiritually significant in many Indigenous traditions and cultures.
At 5am, nestled in a beautifully decorated alleyway beside Montreal’s McCord Stewart Museum, the Kanien’kehá:ka community of Kahnawà:ke was already celebrating the day in full force, with a large bonfire being lit before a traditional sunrise ceremony welcomed the beginning of the year’s longest day.
“We light a fire at five in the morning for the sunrise,” said André Dudemaine, the Innu director of Land InSights. “This allows our inner and physical fires on the ground to be connected with the sun’s fire in the sky.”
As sage burned and tobacco smoke filled the sunrise circle, Dudemaine said that NIPD is a message to everyone that Indigenous cultures are still alive and have always been here to share, create dialogue and celebrate.
The day-long event that filled the surrounding streets with music, art and lively conversation was dedicated to the woodland caribou, or atiku in Innu. “Atiku is the soul of the forest,” said Dudemaine. “If the atiku cannot survive in the forest it means the forest itself, the nature itself, Mother Earth herself is now in danger.”
For over 25 years, Dudemaine says, Indigenous groups in Quebec have been asking for the protection of the caribou, which has been listed as threatened since 2003. While the summer solstice is always a special opportunity to celebrate, he says that today was made especially important by “this display of solidarity with nature and cooperative political will.”
“We are a part of this society, and this year our concern is directed towards the caribou. The caribou is a traditional animal whose spirit has accompanied us for millennia,” said Dudemaine in the presence of federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
The ceremony came a day after Guilbeault announced an emergency order to protect the woodland caribou habitat in Quebec. “We were preparing this ceremony when the announcement was made that the federal government is finally starting to protect the land and let the caribou live,” Dudemaine concluded.
Ray Deer, a Mohawk Elder and dance troupe leader, says he returns to downtown Montreal every year to celebrate, dance and make his and his people’s presence known. “We come back to re-establish our foothold on the island of Montreal just to have them recognize that this is ours and they need to acknowledge that,” said Deer, who is from Kahnawake.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante was in attendance and agreed that taking concrete actions towards reconciliation must be emphasized in the city’s plans. “There’s action in the cultural field, economic field as well, so we’re always moving forward,” she said.
“I invite all Montrealers to come on Peel Street and see the cultural installation that was put there to remind us of the presence of the Indigenous community here in Montreal before we came around.”
However, many pointed out that Plante and the Quebec government have been quick to speak yet slow to act when dealing with the inequalities faced by Indigenous communities in the city and province. Elders voiced their concerns over the lack of resources for Indigenous people living in urban areas, where art installations appear to be favoured over affordable housing solutions. Above all, discussions centred on problems of dialogue and miscommunication which stifle Indigenous voices and sidelines their issues.
“Listen to us, we know what we’re talking about,” said Mohawk Elder Sedalia Kawennotas. “So many times we pass messages and people pretend they’re listening, but they’re not hearing. They’re not hearing that Mother Earth is in crisis.”
Kawennotas pointed to systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect urban Indigenous populations. “Our people who are living on the streets, find them,” she said. “There are buildings that are abandoned. Refurbish those and let the homeless have them.”
Then she added, “I tell you this today because it cannot be done today, but it can be done tomorrow, in the future. Today we celebrate, and then we must act, so we that we can come back next year and celebrate the progress we have started.”