Celebration at Cabot Square for National Indigenous Peoples Day

Montrealers descended on Cabot Square Wednesday afternoon to take part in National Indigenous Peoples Day festivities.

Musical performances were on tap, including Nunavik-born singer-songwriter Beatrice Deer Band.

The event, in collaboration with Resilience Montreal and the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, also featured a soapstone carving workshop.

“Lots of beautiful faces and people having a good time. I think it’s really important that we all come together like this to show that we can have a good time together,” said Bryce Morison, intervention worker with Resilience Montreal.

Performers also included Phoenix Arizona’s 2022 World Champion hoop dancer Scott Sixkiller Sinquah and Toronto-based Juno Award nominated cellist Cris Derksen.

“For me, it’s actually a celebration. We have a lot of days that are hard and about hard things. Today is the day for us to celebrate who we are and how far we have come and how we are still here. So, coming to Montreal is one of my favourite things to do on this day,” said Derksen.

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People also lined up to purchase jewelry and other little trinkets from small Indigenous businesses.

For many, National Indigenous Peoples Day is much more than just a celebration. For Morison, who has Cree and Blackfoot ancestry, it is about embracing his culture and bringing up important issues in the community.

“Reconciliation, for me, it’s about reincorporating our values and our traditions, and displaying our culture. Today is the perfect example of what culture can do – is bring together people,” said Morison. “We also need more help on the streets with the Indigenous people here. We’re very overrepresented.”