National Indigenous Peoples Day
National Indigenous Peoples Day is on June 21 - Summer Solstice!
Journée nationale des peuples autochtones - 21 juin – Le solstice d’été!
This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and ongoing contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year. The Town of Banff will host performances, food tastings, cultural conversations and more, all free and accessible to residents and visitors, with the collaboration of the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.
See below for the list of activities and schedule for the day. Stay tuned for the official performance schedule!
Banff Central Park, 12 – 6 p.m.
Indigenous Market, 12 – 6 p.m.
The Town of Banff is proud to host an Indigenous Market, presented by Authentically Indigenous, with 35+ Indigenous artists, creators, artisans and makers from Treaty areas 6, 7 & 8, and beyond. The market is located where the Farmers Market occurs on Wednesdays.
Discover a treasure trove of handmade goods, crafts, art, jewelry, beadwork, beauty and wellness products. Watch for many artisans creating and demonstrating their craft during the market.
This marketplace serves as a vibrant space where Indigenous talent is celebrated and shared with the wider community.
Indigenous Vendors
Anishinaababe_x — Apsasin — Buffalo Stone Craftworks — Cree_ationz — Deadly Supply — Dene Mfg — Dit’oni Designs — DWF.Designs — Eagle Hawk Craft — Elijo Creations — Emerson’s Cree Designs — Four Pines & Facebook — Heavenly Creations — Indijah Bead — Legendary Beauty and Cosmetics — Let Them Play Apparel — Mandy Lee — many guns trading co — Midnight Sun Elegance — Moomis Craft — My Inuvialuit Scrunchies — Native Diva Creations — NativezUnited — Nikanaseek Beads — Oji Creations & Website — Raven willow Creations — Redman Customs — Rider Native Art — Shelvy's Beads And More — Shepherd Originals — Spirit Willow Beading — T & T Dreamcatchers — The Rez Life — TnT Bling & Stuff — Wandering Star Creations
Indigenous Cultural Space, 1 – 6 p.m.
Performance Schedule
Join Master of Ceremonies Janine Windolph, Director of Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, as we welcome you for an afternoon of storytelling and performances.
We kick off celebrations at 1:00 p.m. with a Land Acknowledgement, followed by the Town of Banff Acting Mayor Kaylee Ram’s and Banff-Kananaskis MLA Sarah Elmeligi's official welcome.
Blackfoot Medicine Speaks - 1:15 p.m. & 4 p.m.
Blackfoot Medicine Speaks offers an educational and entertaining cultural experience of Blackfoot storytelling, cultural sharing, and mesmerizing song and dance that reflects our connection to our ancestors, our land, and the spirit of the Blackfoot people while celebrating our rich culture. We are performers who provide a unique and fascinating experience for audiences of all ages.
Our dance troupe is a collective of approximately 40 professional Powwow dancers and drummers. The dance styles cover the entire range of Powwow dance. We have both female and male performers, ranging in age from tiny tots (under 6) to over 60 years of age. We offer an opportunity for young dancers and drummers to practice their art form in a supportive environment while gaining practical and professional performance experience.
Jax Running Rabbit - 2:00 p.m.
Jax Running Rabbit is 14 years old and is a proud member of Siksika Nation and the Blood Tribe. He comes from a long line of musicians on both sides of his family. He is a self-taught guitarist and trained vocalist. Jax began performing at a very young age with his dad drumming and singing pow wow songs. As he got older, he became heavily influenced by heavy metal concerts that he started attending with his parents at 4 years old. To date, he has seen over 100 bands.
From there he started playing music by his favorite artists and bands such as the Foo Fighters, Elvis Presley, CCR, and his grandpa Butch Wolfleg. He is also a former student of the School of Rock Calgary. He has performed at many events including Every Child Matters Calgary Hitmen hockey game, Siksika Run-as-One Music Festival, Kirbfest, Lilac Festival, Aboriginal Awareness Week Showcase at Studio Bell, and Lethbridge Whoop-Up Days main stage. Jax has had the opportunity to open for 'Reuben & The Dark' and most recently was an opening act for 'Trooper in Concert'. Jax is also a licensed busker with the City of Calgary and can be found performing on Stephen Avenue on weekends.
Jax hopes to inspire other young artists to take up music as it has had a big impact on his life.
Facebook – Instagram –Trooper Opening Act Youtube
Dale Mac - 3:00 p.m.
Dale Mac is a Singer/Songwriter from Treaty 4 Territory, White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan. The storytelling in his lyrics and driving music are both backed by his soulful and energetic guitars. Whether performing acoustic roots in intimate venues, amp driven blues, or rock-based stage shows, Dale’s guitar writing is also the energy behind his range of songwriting. He has two releases under his belt and a third on the way that blends his threatened Nakota language, hand drumming, with contemporary guitar driven storytelling. Performing songs from his upcoming album Pežúda (Medicine) Road, Dale Mac.
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Spotify – Soundcloud – When A Feather Falls - Youtube
Smalleyes Family - 5:00 p.m.
“If you ever have the pleasure of meeting members of the Smalleyes family, you’re sure to come away with a strong sense of what “home” means to them.
This extended family of performers, artists and community leaders bring along their Stoney culture wherever they go, and that’s both enlightening and deeply compelling—not just given their diverse talents and abilities, but because they share it with such courage and generosity of spirit. “– from artsPlace website.
More about the Smalleyes Family (artsPlace) – Performance at artsPlace Youtube
Arik Pipestem – During intermissions
Arik Pipestem is a First Nations Performer, Dancer and Choreographer. As a world-renowned artist, he has had the pleasure of collaborating and performing alongside many companies, forms of media and artists including: Taboo (Black Eyed Peas), The Calgary Flames, So You Think You Can Dance, Canada’s Got Talent, Cirque du Soleil: TOTEM, Kaha:wi dance theatres: Transmigration, The Chimera Project: Bears, Stars and Trees and ANA:OWARA Dance Théâtres: SkyBridges to name a fine few.
Arik has broadened his performance to other forms of media including video and film that includes: Hey Viktor! (2023), Shaun Frank-Together (2021), DREEZUS- Red Winter (2016), Arik is world renowned for his First Nations Hoop Dancing and continues to research new and innovative ways that hoop dance can be explored though dance productions. These works include: Bear Grease Live on tour (2022), The Hole in the Sky (2018), Crux (2015), and TradCirque (2013).
Instagram – Canada’s Got Talent Youtube
Other Programming
Tipis will feature educational cultural experiences, reflecting their connections to their ancestors, land and the spirit of Indigenous cultures.
- Visit the Stevens family Îyârhe (Stoney Nakoda) tipi. The Whyte Museum is the caretaker of this Stoney tipi, and you can catch moments of Stoney storytelling throughout the afternoon.
- Visit the Blackfoot First Nations Tipi to listen and learn about Blackfoot Nation stories and traditions with the Deerfoot family.
Check out the Whyte Museum & the Banff Public Library Community Tent to learn more about the importance of the day and how it started.
Also enjoy some art activities, with colouring pages and kids creative kits featuring a colouring book, and supplies, with artwork from two Stoney Nakoda Artists, Tyson Crawler and Holly Kaquitts. The kits are available to take home, while quantities last. These kits are presented thanks to artsPlace Canmore, in collaboration with the Town of Banff, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the Town of Canmore.
The Whyte Museum will also be providing some free 20-minute guided tours of the Museum available between 1 - 4:30 p.m., on the hour.
Taste of Cultures hosted by the Whyte Museum, 2 – 5 p.m.
Come by the food tents in the market area to sample some delicious Indigenous dishes using traditional ingredients, freshly prepared by Indigenous Chefs. Learn about these traditional foods and the importance of sourcing ancestral ingredients.
Bring your own dishes! If you forget your own dish and cup, we are proud to provide all re-usable food ware for this food sampling, thanks to the Banff Farmer's Market Association. Market Manager, Rene Geber, is providing dishwashing equipment and food ware service.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, 7:30 p.m.
Tunnel Mountain Drive
- Reserve your FREE tickets for the Jah'kota concert at the Jenny Belzberg Theatre.
- Find out about activities throughout June at the Banff Centre for National Indigenous Peoples Month.
Banff Land Acknowledgment
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we honour and acknowledge that the townsite of Banff is located on traditional Treaty 7 territory. These sacred lands are a gathering place for the Niitsitapi from the Blackfoot Confederacy, of whom the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations are part; the Îyârhe Nakoda of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; the Tsuut’ina First Nation; the Métis Nation of Alberta, and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to enrich our vibrant community.
The Bow Valley has also long been important to the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc First Nations who traditionally occupied lands and used the watersheds of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers and the eastern slopes of the Rockies. The area was also used by the Mountain Cree clan of Chief Peechee, and the Dene of the far north and far south.
The Town of Banff is continuously learning about the rich and complex histories of Indigenous peoples in this region and is working to refine how the organization can better understand and acknowledge Indigenous peoples that have and continue to contribute to the area. We recognize the land as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those whose territory we reside on or are visiting and acknowledge the many First Nations and Métis who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations.
Learn more about the rich history and shared future involving Indigenous Peoples in Banff.
