On June 21st of every year, First Nations people come together to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. It is a chance for all of us to gather and share our distinct First Nations cultures, honour our ancestors, celebrate our resilience, and promote our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness.
The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) continues to support wholistic wellness through a number of strength-based, community-centered, Nation-based programs, services, and initiatives aligned with our Seven Directives and Guiding Principles. We continue to work to support healthy, self-determining, and vibrant BC First Nations children, families, and communities.
As First Nations people, we know that coming together is deeply connected to our wellness journeys. For example, the FNHA annually provides Indigenous Peoples Day of Wellness Grants to support well-being activities on June 21st. This year, communities have submitted their applications for innovative wellness activities that integrate our cultures for Indigenous Peoples Day, including:
- Community wellness gatherings, including health fairs with booths and food, workshops, and outdoor community concerts; and
- Physical activity, sport, and recreation activities, including traditional games, such as lahal/stick games, on-the-land scavenger hunts, canoe races, guided walks through traditional territories, and run-walk races; and
- Cultural workshops, including language revitalization, canning, regalia and drum making.
Community gatherings like these, demonstrating culture and resilience, continue to nurture our spirit and wholistic wellness. I encourage all BC First Nations to come together in wellness and culture and ceremony to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, on June 21st and every day.
If you would like to share how your community has celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day or would like to share what National Indigenous Peoples Day means to you, please send your photos and stories to Wellness@fnha.ca and be entered to win a VISA gift card. We look forward to hearing from you!
For more information on Indigenous Peoples Day of Wellness Grants, please visit: https://www.fnha.ca/about/news-and-events/news/the-2023-indigenous-peoples-day-of-wellness-grants-are-now-open
Together in Wellness,
Richard Jock
