Clearwater’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration will look a bit different this year due to social distancing rules.
Instead of holding an event like in previous years, organizers with the North Thompson Aboriginal Cultural Centre Society (NTACCS) have decided to hold a social media contest with hundreds of dollars worth of prizes to give out.
“Because we can’t have a gathering, which we usually do with a big dinner and entertainment for the whole community, we decided North Thompson Aboriginal Cultural Society will do something for all the community members with a contest and it’ll run from June 5 to June 19,” said Cindy Wilgosh, executive director of the NTACCS.
The NTACCS has created a list of 10 activities for participants to tackle from the comfort of their own homes, and all one has to do is take a photo or video of themselves completing the activity, then once done, send the photo or video to ntaboriginal.ccs@gmail.com, the NTACCS Facebook page or drop it off at the Dutch Lake Community Centre and be entered into a draw.
One photo or video of a task equals one entry, so the more activities a participant completes, the better the chance they’ll have to win one of 21 prizes worth about $40 each. Every one of the $40 prizes includes reusable produce bags, called Nu Bags, which are designed to keep vegetables fresh for longer while stored in the fridge.
In order to be eligible for one of the two grand prize draws, the participant has to complete all 10 activities, then write a short story on what National Indigenous Peoples Day means to them, their family, their children or their elders. Each of the two grand prizes is worth $250.
Visit the NTACCS Facebook page for the list of activities at: https://www.facebook.com/events/305966020424908/
“We’ve got a photo release we need them to sign as well so we can use (the photos or videos) maybe next year,” said Cheryl Thomas, secretary for the NTACCS.
“We’re excited to say some of the funding came through the Vancouver Foundation down through the North Thompson Communities Foundation to help the Aboriginal Cultural Centre, which is the group doing this.”
The deadline for submissions is June 19 at noon and the winners will be announced on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day, at noon as well.
In 1996, the Governor-General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc, proclaimed June 21 as National Aboriginal Day. The day was designed as a chance for people to celebrate and recognize the cultural richness and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
In 2017, the Prime Minister announced the day would be renamed National Indigenous Peoples Day.
The reason June 21 was chosen is that for hundreds of years, many of the first inhabitants of Canada would celebrate the arrival of the warm weather and the pleasures of the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year and a day with spiritual significance for many, making it a good time to celebrate Indigenous peoples and cultures.
For more information on the NTACCS contest, visit the NTACCS Facebook page or email ntaboriginal.ccs@gmail.com