It’s National Indigenous Peoples’ History Month, so Celebrate and Smudge with Us and one of our Members!
For the month of June, we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples’ History Month, along with Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on June 21st, which lines up with the first day of summer. It is meant to acknowledge and shine a light on the culture of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities.
In this feature, we further explore Indigenous culture, specifically focusing on how to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We’ve put together a how-to-guide, a Smudging tutorial, and a special Interview with the IFS member, Raonraon Creations (opens in new window) !
Being individuals of all backgrounds, it is important to keep 3 major thoughts in mind:
- How to respect Indigenous culture.
- How indulging ourselves in one celebration is not nearly enough to understand Indigenous culture.
- It is important for us to continue to spread diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to keep the conversation and education going when it comes to Indigenous culture. We at the Fashion Zone and Indigenous Fashion Support Program (IFS) would like to extend our shared grief to the 215+ Indigenous children, their families, and communities that lost their lives and suffered countless atrocities at one of Canada’s largest residential schools in Kamloops, British Columbia. Full details on our official statement.
How to Celebrate
Smudging
During a smudge, plant leaves or stems are assembled in the container and ignited. The flames are then gently blown out and the smoke, which heals the mind, heart and body, is wafted over the person, either by hand or with an eagle feather. The person being smudged pulls the smoke to them and gently inhales the smoke.
Festivals
Similar to numerous other celebrations, festivales and celebratory events occur on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This includes Pow-Wows, Traditional Dancing, Singing, and more.
Traditional Food
On this day, traditional food is prepared and shared, such as Bannock, Indian Tacos, and Moose Stew.
Interview with Raonraon
As an Indigenous Fashion Support member at the Fashion Zone, Raonraon (opens in new window) is a beadwork company founded by Rosalee Laurena Mitchell. Rosalee is a mixed-race Indigenous artist of Mohawk-German descent. Her father’s family hails from Six Nations in Branford, ON. Rosalee presently resides in Barrie, ON.
To see the full IGTV Interview, see our Instagram Page (external link, opens in new window) !