The 14th annual Aboriginal Day Celebration was held at the Nakusp Elementary School just before Solstice last week, on June 20.
In the past, the Nakusp and District Museum and School District 10 partnered to host this event, but this year the museum decided to scale back their involvement. Sharon Montgomery, the museum’s former director, could not bear to see the museum forego this opportunity for community engagement and education, so she liaised with the Columbia Basin Trust to ensure their continued support of this event with a $1,500 grant.
The event started indoors at 9 a.m. with a medicine wheel and smudging. Ganishka Silverfox performed the opening prayer, with local Member of Legislature Katrina Konroy, Councillor Len Heppner and members of the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment in attendance.
School District 10 students from as far as Edgewood and New Denver attended this event, that saw some different stations set up for the children to enjoy during this event that ran from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
There was face-painting by Nakusp Secondary students, basketry and weaving by Eloise from New Denver, and two tables set up by Spiritwood next to the one Montgomery set up on behalf of the museum.
Community Services put on the lunch of hotdogs. The children played lacrosse, listened to stories, drummed on the grandmother drum, and even tested their hand at striking a fire, with the help of Dorian Boswell and his Outdoor Education program students from the Burton Academy.
The School District’s buses returned everyone to their home community at 2 p.m., with the promise of another successful event ahead of them in the year to come.