Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day

The historical significance and value of the peoples inhabiting the north are recognized and honored on Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The event is celebrated annually on June 21. This is an important ethnographic cultural holiday for the world community.

The History

In 1876, the government of Canada deprived the Indian colonies of the right to self-determination and forced them to obey state laws. The right to vote among indigenous peoples only appeared in the second half of the XX century. The initiative to establish a holiday in 1982 came from the Indian community as a sign of unity and cohesion. In 1996, it was established.

Interesting Facts

The number of indigenous people (First Nations) is almost 2 million.

1. Aborigines call their homeland the Land of the Midnight Sun.
2. The climate in northern Canada is characterized by severe, frosty winters and brief summers.
3. The main occupation common among indigenous peoples in the past centuries was farming. There was trade in animal furs. The Indians hunted animals in the endless local forests.
4. The North and West are the habitats of an unusual animal called the musk ox.

In the designated climatic zone, residents can observe an unusual natural optical phenomenon, the Northern lights, for nearly 200 days a year.

How to take part

Prepare the national dish of the aborigines, moose stew. Call over guests and treat them to fried bread, which has long been on the tables of the Indians. Embark on a journey along the northwest route. Get to know the traditions and culture of the peoples who inhabited the territories long before the appearance of Europeans.

When is Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated in 2024?

Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day is observed on June 21 each year.

Observations