Rugby Canada Celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day
Community
On June 21, Canada celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day. In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, to be known as National Indigenous Peoples Day.
June 21, 2023 (Langford, BC) – On June 21, Canada celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day. In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, to be known as National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.
June is National Indigenous History Month and marks a time for Canada to recognize and celebrate the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. These three groups are known as Indigenous Peoples. Although these groups share many similarities, they each have their own distinct heritage, language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.
Learning resources about First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada
Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will be in Ottawa this July for two international matches against Scotland and Romania. As part of the community engagement initiatives in the region, Rugby Canada will host a group of local Indigenous youth at TD Place for an on-field experience including Canadian national team players. Coaches and Rugby Canada staff will lead youth in rugby activities, with participants also getting to experience Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team’s Captain’s Run up close and in-person.
While in Ottawa, Rugby Canada’s Development Team will travel to Pikwakanagan, Ontario and join the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation for a day of rugby activities and cultural exchange with the community.
Each year, Rugby Canada and Vancouver Sevens partners with one of the three local First Nations, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), collaborating on territorial acknowledgements, medal designs, Captains Photo, and more. This year's partner was Musqueam and for the first time in the event’s history, the host city name was displayed on the centreboards in BC Place in the languages of the local First Nations, hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and sqʷχʷoʔməʃ snit͡ʃim.
Through Rugby Canada’s Community Rugby Fund initiative that began in 2021, special consideration has been given to rugby clubs or community organizations whose projects aim to enhance inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility of rugby within a club, educational institution, or community organization, particularly for the Indigenous communities.
Rugby Canada has funded a total of eight projects that focus on Indigenous programming over the past four years, including four applications from Thunder Indigenous Rugby, the Comox Valley Rapids and John Arnalukjuak High School.
Learn more about Rugby Canada’s Community Rugby Fund HERE.
To learn more about National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day, click on the resources below.
About National Indigenous History Month