Hundreds gather for National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in Whitehorse

Hundreds of people gathered at the Kwanlin Dn Cultural Centre indowntown Whitehorse to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on Tuesday. The day which falls on the summer solstice is meant to recognize and honour First Nations, Inuit and Mtis cultures.

Jessie Dawson, councillor withtheKwanlin Dn First Nation, spoke at theopening ceremony for the day's events. She said the holiday"is a day we can feel pride and say 'this is who I am, this is where we are, and this is where I come from.'"

There were many activities throughout the day,including musical performances by Indigenous artists, a crafts market and the carving of a dugout canoe. Indigenous hip-hop bandSnotty Nose Rez Kids were scheduled to perform at 9 p.m.

For Ron Rousseau, a Dakhk Khwandancer, June 21 is "not about truth and reconciliation." Rather, it's about "celebrating our culture, about sharing our dance and our song that was taken away for so many years."

Telecommunications company Northwestel provided free bannock and stew to those attending the events.

Several public figures took part in a salmon bakeoff, includingMinister of Economic Development Ranj Pillai, Grand Chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations Peter Johnston, Yukon NDP leaderKate White, Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations Kluane Adamek and Commissioner of Yukon Anglique Bernard.

Pillai won first place for his salmon made using sea salt his mother collected from the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Nova Scotia.