Women's Memorial March (February 14)
The Women's Memorial March is an annual event that started in 1992 in response to the murder of a woman in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. The march takes place on February 14 — Valentine’s Day — as a show of respect for the lives of missing and murdered women and a sign of love and compassion for all women in the Downtown Eastside.
Deaths of many women of colour and vulnerable women in the Downtown Eastside continue to increase, with Indigenous women disproportionately represented in the numbers. There is little to no action taken to deal with the issues at the core, including institutions operating in racist and paternalistic ways, gendered violence that goes uninvestigated (or worse, unreported), child welfare systems that don't support Indigenous families, and poverty.
The march is incredibly emotional for many, as it follows a path where women’s bodies have been found. At each site, the woman’s name is read along with who they are and who their family is and then the family and supporters take time to grieve.
Please refer to the linked website for more information:
Butterflies in Spirit Facebook page (activist group raising awareness for MMIWG)
National Indigenous Languages Day (March 31)
National Indigenous Languages Day is on March 31, and raises awareness for Indigenous languages — many of which are on the brink of extinction. Indigenous peoples were historically banned from speaking their languages in Canada, which resulted in a large loss of cultural identity. This day honours the incredibly important journey of language revitalization that many nations are undertaking.
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
Red Dress Day (May 5)
Red Dress Day started in 2010 .
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
National Indigenous History Month (all of June)
National Indigenous History Month takes place during the month of June, and celebrates the resilience of Indigenous peoples, and honours the past, present, and future achievements of Indigenous peoples within Canada. National Indigenous History Month acknowledges how Indigenous peoples have helped to shape Canada's history, and recognizes the strength of Indigenous peoples.
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21)
National Indigenous Peoples Day is on the June 21, and commemorates and celebrates the diversity of Indigenous peoples within Canada.
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (August 9)
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is on August 9, and celebrates the long history of the world’s Indigenous peoples and acknowledges their traditional knowledge, strength, and diverse cultures.
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
Orange Shirt Day (September 30)
Orange Shirt Day is on September 30, and commemorates and honours the victims and survivors of the Indian residential school system in Canada. This is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission residential school commemoration project. As a spokesperson for events related to the project, former student Phyllis Webstad told her story of her first day at residential school when her shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year old girl. On September 30, you may wear an orange shirt to show your support for Indigenous peoples and their culture (but please make sure that, if you purchase an orange shirt bearing Indigenous art or symbols, that it is a genuine product financially supporting Indigenous artists).
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
Sister In Spirit Day occurs on October 4 to honour the lives of the many murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls across Canada. Memorials and honouring events are held all over the country in support of the families and communities of lost Indigenous women and girls.
Please refer to the linked website for more information.
International Inuit Day was established in 2006 by the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), an international non-governmental organization representing Arctic peoples (the Inuit, the Yupik, and the Chukchi) living in Canada, Greenland, and parts of the United States and Russia (Alaska and the Chukchi Peninsula, respectively). The date, November 7, was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Eben Hopson, an American politician and the ICC founder.
Please refer to the linked website for more information:
Indigenous veterans made great sacrifices to serve in wars that Canada was involved in. Many had only ever lived on their traditional lands, in a traditional lifestyle so there was a culture shock experiencing life in greater Canada and in Europe. A couple of examples, many did not speak English so they had to learn it quickly and many had never traveled by train let alone seen one in real life.
Canada was fortunate to have First Nations soldiers, as they were already experts at stalking, marksmanship, and other skills. However, a secret weapon of the Canadian military was the Cree code talkers. These were First Nations soldiers in World War II who spoke Cree. They developed code, based on the Cree language, that would make it impossible to interpret messages unless you were another Cree code talker. When the military had to communicate secret messages, they would use code talkers. Cree code talkers provided an invaluable and unparalleled service and contribution.
Sadly, while these soldiers were decorated for acts of bravery, most returned home to find racism and discrimination.
Please refer to the linked websites for more information:
Louis Riel Day is held every year on November 16 across the Métis homelands and is a holiday in Manitoba (a resolution was passed by parliament citing that Louis Riel was the Founder of Manitoba on March 10, 1992). November 16 is the anniversary of Riel’s execution in 1885. Earlier that year, Riel led Métis people in the "Northwest Resistance", a fight against the Government of Canada because it was encroaching on Metis rights. Riel was captured at the siege of Batoche and he was put on trial, convicted of treason, and executed. As a result of his treason, Métis people were called traitors and for generations, many hid their culture. The Métis people preserved their traditions and culture and continue to thrive today.
Please refer to the linked website for more information: