June 21 marks National Indigenous Peoples Day – a day to celebrate and recognize the heritage, cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

We encourage you to join us today in attending National Indigenous Peoples Day events as well as learning about and celebrating the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Our journey of reconciliation means constantly learning and unlearning, and there are many opportunities today which can help us work together to build a culturally safe health care system that is free of discrimination. Check out a few ideas below.

Show your support for National Indigenous Peoples Day on social media using #NIPD2022. This is an opportunity to amplify Indigenous voices and share events, resources and learnings.

Communities across the province are holding celebrations – from Castlegar to Vancouver to Smithers! You can see if your local First Nation or community has planned an event, or check out this interactive map.

Plus, join the First Nations Health Authority on June 23 for "Circling Together for Wellness: A Virtual Gathering Upholding Indigenous Knowledge", a free gathering to celebrate Indigenous storytelling and explore ways of sharing Indigenous knowledge, determined by Indigenous people and grounded in traditional, local and cultural protocols.

Have you read our new resources which help health care partners engage Indigenous patient partners in culturally safe ways? We created them after hearing from health care partners who were unsure how to do so, and in partnership with Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) patient partners. Embedding cultural safety into patient partnership is an important way of making sure we honour the values of kindness, empathy and respect each and every day.

Download the Resources

Warrior Life Podcast
Pam Palmater, Mi’kmaw citizen and member of the Eel River Bar First Nation in northern New Brunswick, hosts the Warrior Life podcast which focuses on decolonization and revitalizing Indigenous cultures, traditions, laws and governing practices. Listen to the episode “Confronting Systemic Racism in Healthcare” which is the recording of a keynote presentation that Pam delivered at the Atlantic Indigenous Health Conference.

Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s
In this podcast, investigative journalist Connie Walker tells the story of her late father’s encounter with a residential school priest from his past and “the secrets of her family and the legacy of trauma passed down through the generations.”

Plus, listen to season one of Stolen: The Search for Jermain, which focuses on the disappearance of Indigenous mother Jermain Charlo and "what it means to be an Indigenous woman in America."

Residential Schools Podcast Series
Created by Historica Canada and hosted by Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais, this podcast series "aims to commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools, and honour the stories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Survivors, their families, and communities."

Plus, check out the accompanying video series.

The National Film Board of Canada Films
Explore documentaries and films about the history and legacy of residential schools. The NFB has many other films to watch about Indigenous culture and history, including environmental issues, health and safety and British Columbia specifically. 

Image from "The Gift of Diabetes" by O. Brion Whitford & John Paskievich.

The Unforgotten
The short film “The Unforgotten” explores the health of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples from birth to elderhood.

Xwi7xwa Library Open Indigenous Content
Located at the University of British Columbia on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) People, Xwi7xwa highlights Indigenous content open to all to expand your learnings.  

Note that some of the resources above contain content about violence towards Indigenous Peoples.