Honouring Siksikaitsitapi Ways: A Day of Prayer Aligned with National Indigenous Peoples Day

In response to the expressed needs of our Nation members, especially in affirming our Siksikaitsitapi worldview and traditions, we have chosen to combine National Indigenous Peoples Day with a Day of Prayer. This decision aligns with the summer solstice, a significant time of renewal and ceremony for our people.

We have invited various members who hold positions within our traditional societies to help guide this important day, just as we have in past years.

Background on National Indigenous Peoples Day

In 1996, the Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc, officially declared June 21 as “National Aboriginal Day.” This followed long-standing calls by Indigenous organizations and leaders:

• In 1982, the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations) called for a National Aboriginal Solidarity Day.

• In 1995, the Sacred Assembly, chaired by Elijah Harper, supported a national holiday to honour Indigenous Peoples.

• Also in 1995, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples recommended the creation of a National First Peoples Day.

On June 21, 2017, the Prime Minister announced the day would be renamed National Indigenous Peoples Day, recognizing the diversity, history, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Today, this day is part of the Celebrate Canada program, along with other cultural celebrations held throughout the summer.
(Source: Government of Canada)

A Return to Our Ways

As we mark this day, we continue our journey of decolonization by returning to our ways of knowing, being, and doing—Siksikaitsitapiipaitapiiyssin. Through our ancestral teachings and ceremonies, we remember that we are our own medicine. Our healing is rooted in the strength of our culture, the guidance of our ancestors, and the collective spirit of our people.