2023 National Indigenous History Month
Each June, we celebrate National Indigenous History Month to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous people. It's also an opportunity to recognize the strength of present-day Indigenous people and their communities.
This June, the City contributed to several initiatives intended to honour and learn from Indigenous Peoples. Some of these included:
- May 29: A Reconciliation Flag Raising Ceremony & Community Celebration was held in Civic Square to set the stage for the month ahead. The program included remarks from dignitaries and performances by Indigenous artists. The Reconciliation Flag, which represents a commitment to Reconciliation, remained raised for one week.
- May 29: The City unveiled its new Reconciliation Visual Identity and Community Tipi. The visual identity design, which is hand-painted on the Community Tipi, was developed through consultation with community - including Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Residential School Survivors - to include significant imagery capturing Saskatoon and our shared journey forward on the path to Reconciliation.
- June 21: The City participated in the Community Celebration in Victoria Park. The new Community Tipi was raised and programming was offered there throughout the day including: tipi teachings, Elder teachings, and several sessions on what went into the making of our new Reconciliation Visual Identity.
- June 28: The City co-presented Commemoration & Renaming on the Road to Reconciliation - a presentation to get people thinking about the importance of commemoration, naming, renaming. The presentation was provided by Métis artist and educator David Garneau and held at the Broadway Theatre.
The City continues to work with the Indigenous Technical Advisory Group (ITAG). The mandate of this group is to provide First Nations & Métis worldviews to lead the City of Saskatoon to improve the quality of life for future generations. As part of Indigenous History Month, the City would like to acknowledge the perspectives, wisdom, and advice that ITAG has provided us. Learn more about ITAG and meet our members at saskatoon.ca/ITAG.