National Aboriginal Day activities fill Montreal streets with music and culture

Montrealers looking to celebrate National Aboriginal Day have several options, from concerts to asoap stone carving workshop.

Twenty years ago,then-Governor General Romo LeBlanc proclaimed June 21 National Aboriginal Dayto recognize and celebrate the heritageand contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Mtis peoples.

Events today will be held across Canada.

• Should National Aboriginal Day be a holiday across Canada?

Ceremony and parade in Old Montreal

In Old Montreal, aparade beganat around 11 a.m.the corner of St-Jacques Street and St-Laurent Boulevard.

Marchers carriedeffigies and walked to the beat of drumming toward Place d'Armes, where a tobacco ceremony will take place around a fire.

The Buffalo Hat Singers and Inuk singer Beatrice Deer also performed.

Revisit our Facebook Live from the festivities below:

Celebrations at Cabot Square

For those who can only take part in the festivities later in the day, an entire afternoon and evening of events is planned at Cabot Square.

This is the first year there are Aboriginal Day events at Cabot Square.

The Kontirennotatie Kanehsatake Women Singers will be on hand to teach audience members social dances and explain their significance, there will be Inuit games, soap stone carving workshop and activities by Inujunga and Chez Doris, craft tables, events for children and muchmore.

Festivities at the square, which was recentlyrenovated, wrappedup at 9 p.m.

For the full lineup of performers, check out the Facebookevent page.