This Red River cart and Métis sash were made by one of the PAN staff at her local library. Check yours to see what Indigenous education programming is available.
June 21st marks National Indigenous Peoples Day—a time to celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada. For the Métis, this day is more than a celebration, it’s an opportunity to honour our ancestors, our resilience, and the unique blend of Indigenous and European heritage that defines us.
As Métis people, we walk between worlds. We carry the songs of the fiddle and the heartbeat of the drum. Our roots run deep in the Red River and beyond, grounded in kinship, resistance, and pride. We are a distinct Nation with our own language, governance, and traditions—and yet, for generations, our identity was denied, erased, or misunderstood.
Today, we stand tall. We honour our Elders, knowledge keepers, and the generations who fought to keep our culture alive. We celebrate our artists, our jigging feet, our sash-wearing youth, and our stories woven through beadwork and bannock.
National Indigenous Peoples Day is a chance for all Canadians to learn, reflect, and engage. For Métis people, it’s also a day to reconnect—to remember who we are, where we come from, and what we carry forward.
Let us gather in joy, in remembrance, and in solidarity. Let us lift up our voices, celebrate our culture, and honour the sacred responsibilities we hold to our ancestors, our land, and each other.
Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day from the Métis Nation.
Carlene Dingwall, PAN Indigenous Program Consultant
Resources
Watch: A historical tour of a Métis trappers tent
Indigenous Medicine Stories Podcast is a collaboration between AMS Healthcare and the Jason
A. Hannah Chair in the History of Indigenous Health and Indigenous Traditional Medicine at the
Northern Ontario School of Medicine University. Indigenous Medicine Stories aims to educate
health professionals and the public about Indigenous healing. The podcast will highlight the
lived experiences of Indigenous Knowledge holders, healers, and Elders and help professionals
who practice Indigenous healing.
FirstVoices is a collaborative platform where Indigenous communities manage, curate and share their languages.
See previous posts for National Indigenous History Month:
New Course! Walking with Truth And Reconciliation
Grounding where we are: land connections and reconciliation