With National Indigenous Peoples Day coming up on Saturday, the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child and Family Service Society (KKCFSS) kicked off festivities with a celebration in Cranbrook’s Rotary Park.
The KKCFSS says this year’s theme was “ksukiⱡ̓q̓ukamaⱡnam,” which is Ktunaxa for “community.”
Amy Cross, Rocky Mountain Metis Association Board Member, says the event was a huge hit.
“We had a ton of people here with us celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day. We have representatives from our First Nations, metis and a lot of allies who are here to support our community,” said Cross.
“We decided to do community as our theme this year because we know how important community is to support our Indigenous people. We brought in community members from all kinds of places so people can access services, learn about them and speak with different representatives.”
The event featured drumming, traditional dancing, booths, food, speeches and other amenities.
“We at KKCFSS love honouring National Indigenous Peoples Day with a family-friendly event that celebrates and uplifts Indigenous culture,” said Smokii Sumac, KKCFSS Cultural Lead.
While National Indigenous Peoples Day is officially June 21, KKCFSS decided to host celebrations early, on Wednesday, June 18, to avoid competing with another local event.
“Since Spirit of the Rockies is this weekend, we decided to celebrate it on Wednesday. This way, we could also be inclusive to school groups,” said Cross.
“KKCFSS supports Indigenous youth, so we thought it would be important to encompass a multitude of people into this event.”
More events are planned around the region this weekend, including the 29th annual Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it Border Walk, which is meant to bring awareness to the Canada/US border dividing the Ktunaxa nation.
ʔaq̓am is hosting a dinner with music on June 21, followed by the 2025 ʔaq̓am Community Education Awards on Sunday, June 22.
Be the first to know! Don’t miss out on breaking news and daily updates in your area. Sign up to MyEastKootenayNow News Alerts.
