Members of the 4 Wing Command team, 4 Wing Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group, staff members of Art Smith Aviation Academy/ Northern Lights Public Schools, and members of the Cold Lake First Nations pose on National Indigenous Peoples Day at CFB Cold Lake on June 21st – All Photos by Mike Marshall/Courier News
4 Wing members, staff and students from Art Smith Aviation Academy (ASAA), and other guests took part in National Indigenous Peoples Day festivities on June 21st.
A ceremony was held next to the school that featured Wing Command taking part in a smudging ceremony, a performance of traditional Dene drums and some information about the drums, and speeches from various dignitaries. Cold Lake First Nations Member Lynda Minoose spoke to the crowd and left a gift to ASAA to mark the day.
“I’m going to leave some sweetgrass with your school. This is for you to hold and keep in a sacred place so everyone can see it. It grows wild all over this land. The sweetgrass has three strands, which represent kindness, respect, and the other honesty.”
“We ask the Creator to bless every one of you. The Creator loves the little children, especially. We ask you to teach each other to be kind to other people, even though they are different,” added Minoose.
The children at the school then split into different groups and took part in some activities, including traditional Indigenous games, bead working, and listening to local First Nation elders tell their stories.
The celebration of indigenous culture was one of many to take place around the area and the country as part of National Indigenous Peoples Day. The day has its roots stretching back to 1945 but became an official celebration in Canada in 1996.
2022 NIPD
4 Wing Acting Commander LCol Corey Mask and 4 Wing Chief Warrant Officer CWO Lee Darling join in on a traditional smudging ceremony
2022 NIPD
Cold Lake First Nations guests speak at the 2022 NIPD ceremony
2022 NIPD
Duane Janvier explains about his drum and the powerful message behind it
2022 NIPD
Drummers provided traditional songs at the ceremony
2022 NIPD
4 Wing Acting Commander LCol Corey Mask starts a traditional dance at the ceremony
2022 NIPD
Members at the ceremony join in on the traditional dance
2022 NIPD
Students take in some learning around a fire
2022 NIPD
A tent was set up for crafting and bead work
2022 NIPD
The finished product on one of the students
2022 NIPD
Students take part in traditional games
