by Julianna Bonnett
Last Friday, families and individuals from across the nation had the opportunity to tune into the Weaving the Braid of Unity Summit by livestream to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.
June 19 is a day for all Canadians to recognize the unique, cultural, and outstanding ways First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people have made. The event took place live on YouTube, and honoured and celebrated the resilience of many individuals who have not only shaped Canada, but their communities.
One of the main organizers, Jody Harbour, said one of the most important things about this event is educating people about the injustices many Indigenous people have gone through.
“Our goal is to educate students and many people locally about the unique and endearing culture, and we wanted to showcase that within a three-hour live broadcast,” Harbour said. “Many people are not educated on some of the things that have happened with our history in Canada. It’s always good to be educated on the history of where you live.”
Featuring over 30 guests, live music, and dancing, Weaving the Braid of Unity summit was able to bring many voices to the livestream.
During the livestream, Indigenous Education Consultant for the Greater Essex County District School Board, Tina DeCastro, said there are challenges to overcome in today’s world, but there is so much possibility.
“Working in education has given us the opportunity to create a world where future generations, both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, will not only learn true history, but create schools that embrace identities and cultures.”