Last month, FPAC joined the Indigenous Day Live celebration in Ottawa’s Vincent Massey Park – and is proud to have been a partner organization.
It was a lively day, packed with the Summer Solstice Competition Pow Wow, a Round Dance, a host of performances, and fun activities for all ages. The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) hosted the day simultaneously in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Ottawa with a 5-hour live broadcast of the events. Over 500, 000 people watched or participated in this event nationally.
FPAC hosted a booth in the family fun zone, with staff participating throughout the day in the celebration of Indigenous cultures. To add on a level of fun, FPAC’s Director of Forestry Etienne Bélanger built a giant Jenga out of sustainably harvested Canadian SPF (spruce-pine-fir) lumber, which was a hit for kids – as well as the kid that exists in all of the adults who were on hand.
Throughout the event, FPAC staff were there to answer questions and heighten awareness about Indigenous participation in the forest sector. FPAC was proud to feature theGreenestWorkforce job-matching tool and the annual Skills Awards for Aboriginal Youth, which celebrate skills development and promote career opportunities’in the forest products industry. We were proud to share information about the forest sector’s long-standing connection and partnership with Indigenous peoples.
The day concluded with a downpour of rain but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm, as those on hand hand enjoyed an evening of performances by some of the most recognized entertainers in Indigenous music and television. It was an exciting conclusion to a day of cultural sharing and for many, their first experience of participating in a Pow Wow and Round Dance.
APTN’s Indigenous Day Live showcase was a great opportunity to celebrate Indigenous cultures in Canada and to reflect on the shared values and important connections that exist between Indigenous communities and Canada’s forest products sector.
