Visitors who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis will receive free admission to the Cannery on June 21, 2021. All other admission fees collected on this day will be donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and ELK Indigenous Outreach and Support Program. In the afternoon, Connections Community Services Society will be on site with program information, and First Nations artist Christine Mackenzie, will demonstrate her wood-burning art techniques.
Our Partners
The annual Welcoming the Sun celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day and the Summer Solstice will not take place in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. This event is presented in partnership with Connections Community Services Society, a community-based charitable organization in Richmond BC. We are also honoured to have First Nations artist Christine Mackenzie on site to demonstrate wood-burning art techniques (in the afternoon).
Look for the premier of a new podcast “First Stories – Tales from Turtle Island” on June 21st.
About National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21, 2021 is the 25th anniversary of celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day and the diverse cultures and achievements of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. June is also National Indigenous History month. Visit this site to find resources including e-books, podcasts and audio clips to learn more about the cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
About ELK – Indigenous Outreach and Support Program
For many Indigenous Peoples in North America, the elk is seen as a symbol resilience and the bringer of good omens. It is believed that the elk possess the following attributes: Endurance, Awareness, Serenity, Family and Security. We believe that these 5 attributes create the framework and best describe the guiding values on which ELK was founded. It is through education, leadership and a strong sense of kinship that we strive to deliver these values as relevant services and programs to our participants.
As important as it is to support our Indigenous communities, it is just as important to us as Indigenous people to support the communities in which we work, live and play. We see reconciliation as both a collaborative and inclusive effort that, if undertaken with honest intentions, will lead to the mutual understanding of all people.
– Matthew Dyck, ELK Program Coordinator & Support/Outreach Worker
About Indian Residential School Survivors Society
The IRSSS is a British Columbia-based organization which was started in 1994 to support Residential School Survivors to navigate the court system. Their work has since expanded to provide essential services to Survivors, their families, and those dealing with intergenerational traumas. In more recent years their work has expanded to include assisting the descendants of Survivors and implementing community education measures (Indigenous & Non-Indigenous).
