National Indigenous History Month: Simple and personal acts of reconciliation

June is National Indigenous History Month. CBC invites you to mark the monthby tuning into CBC Up North's virtual powwow, listening to Indigenous language segmentsor learning how to care for Mother Earth.

LISTEN

"Maamawi" is an Ojibway word that means "Together".

CBC's Up North program hosteda special day of programming in honour of National Indigenous Peoples' Day on Friday, June 19. It was hosted by powwow emcee Todd Genno from Biigtigong Nishnaabeg.

LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST HERE.

LISTEN

CBC's Up North launched its onlineLiving Languages feature, which includesIndigenous language speakers fromacross northern Ontario.

Roxanne Marten is an Anishinaabemowin teacher, who set out on a journey to reclaim her language. Listen to a snippet below and click here to read and listen to other guests.

LISTEN

CBC Manitoba's new podcast, "Kwew" is a Cree word meaning "he goes home." (CBC Manitoba)

Growing up, DavidA. Robertson didn't know he was Cree. In this podcast, David chronicles his journey of discovery as he uncovers his family history, connects with his Cree identity, and rebuilds his relationship with his father.

Listen to the podcast now.

LEARN

Our CBC colleagues in Atlantic Canada worked with Novia Scotia artistPatuo'knto create this design in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Learn the meaning behind the piece.

Learn

An Ontario firekeeper explains the Four Directions of the Medicine Wheel(CBC Thunder Bay)

The Four Sacred Directions of the Medicine Wheel guideevery aspect of A.L. McDonald's life."It's the acknowledgement from within: where I am, where I'm going and honouring the space I'm in."

The directions of the wheel are represented by the colours yellow, red, black and white. Learn what each colour represents.

READ

Check out the parade Antler River Elementary School held for its graduating class(CBC London)

"Today was an awesome day," said Vick Slay, the principal at Antler River. "We really wanted to show recognition for these kids. They worked really hard."

Sixteen students are graduating from the school this year. They were honoured duringa brief, physically-distanced ceremony in the parking lot.

Full article and celebratory photos can be found here.

READ

Mini powwow aims to lift spirits of Kahnawake hospital residents (CBC Indigenous)

"It really meant a lot to me because Ilove making people happy and saw the smile on my Grandma's face," said 10-year-old dancer Ie'nahkwenh:wi Rice.

"I got super happy myself;it was just an amazing time there."

Read (and watch) here.

READ

Land-based learning bringing traditional knowledge and skills to school curriculum (via CBC Thunder Bay)

"My family has been harvesting here at Whitefish Lake for generations, my mother learned it as a young child and with the interruption of our ways with residential school there was a gap in learning those teachings." -Rhonda LeClair, teacher in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, with family ties in the Seine River First Nation.

Lakehead University students take to the land to learn traditional skills, like harvesting wild rice. Read the story here.

MAKE

Food is medicine: Six Nations chef fights colonization with cooking(via CBC Hamilton)

Chef Aicha Smith-Belghaba is based in Six Nations. She believes it's important to incorporate Haudenosaunee foods into people's daily lives as a way to bring them back to their culture. Read the full article and make her traditional dessert salad.

She spoke to CBC Hamilton's Conrad Collaco about how she uses food to fight effects of racism and colonization.

WATCH

Learning how to care for Mother Earth (CBC Manitoba)

Elder Dave Courchene Nii Gaani Aki Inini (Leading Earth Man), founder of Turtle Lodge on Sagkeeng First Nation, shares ancient knowledge on how to reconnect to Mother Earth and listen to what she's telling us.

WATCH

Theland Kicknosway: Hoop dancer (CBC Ottawa)

Theland Kicknosway first fell in love with hoop dancing when he saw world champion Dallas Arcand perform in Gatineau, Que.

"Ever since then, I've continued with my hoop dance journey and I look forward to the years of hoop dancing that I have ahead of myself."

For the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival, the 17-year-old from Walpole Island First Nation in southwestern Ontario will be performing a glow-in-the-dark virtual hoop dance for viewers online.

Meet the other 3artists from the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival here.

SEE

The CBC logo, remixed and re-imagined for Pride and National Indigenous History Month(CBC Arts)

Two-spirit artist Margaret August shares inspiration for the design, the impact COVID-19 has had on her and why Coast Salish art is near and dear to her heart. The Q&A can be found here.