OLDS — Once again, National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) will be held on June 21 in Olds, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the day’s celebrations will be held virtually.
NIPD planning committee chair and local Elder John Sinclair made the announcement during a town council meeting earlier this month.
Sinclair said one change is that the drumming event won’t be held like it has in years past.
“The kids so enjoyed sitting at that big drum and singing their little hearts out. It was such a beautiful day and I’ll remember that for the rest of my life,” Sinclair said.
The plan this year is to record about an hour’s worth of videos in five-minute segments “so we don’t lose the interest of people," he said.
"We want to just give the people an experience of the culture from the different First Nations, Metis and Inuit,” he said.
The entire package will be re-run during the day.
Sinclair invited Town of Olds Mayor Mike Muzychka to record a welcoming video for it. Muzychka said he would.
He praised Sinclair, saying each time he meets him he learns something new about Indigenous culture and history.
NIPD planning committee member Bev Toews, an educational assistant and UNESCO coordinator at École Olds High School, also addressed council.
Toews said she too is disappointed people won’t be able to attend the celebrations in person, but added there’s an advantage to doing it virtually. That way, she said, the video package will be available to Chinook’s Edge School Division as a whole.
Toews explained that sometimes, teachers can’t access a certain event because it doesn't fit their schedule or that of the students they think would benefit from it.
Because a link will be created for this video, teachers and students will be able to access it at a time that works best for them.
“And we’ll also have it available after, so that it can keep being a resource for schools, so it’s going to be really good for skill development for teachers as well as resources (for teachers),” she said.
Councillors thanked Sinclair and Toews – as well as all those involved in the event for their efforts.
They applauded plans for the day and voted to proclaim June 21 as National Indigenous Peoples Day in Olds.
Several councillors said they’ve really enjoyed the celebrations that have been held during NIPD in the past.
“My favourite memory is walking into the teepee and your drumming to Sponge Bob Square Pants,” Muzychka said, sparking some laughter.
