Indigenous cultural celebration at Oshawa’s waterfront Saturday

Oshawa is kicking off Indigenous History Month Saturday with an afternoon of storytelling, interactive workshops and Indigenous presentations at Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park.

The Indigenous Cultural Celebration is happening from noon to 4 p.m., with free performances from First Nations, Inuit and Métis presenters and storytellers across several mediums and disciplines.

The event recognizes and celebrates the rich culture of the various Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island and is part of the city’s centennial celebrations.

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter said celebrating Indigenous culture is a way to better understand the legacy of historic racism and discrimination, which continues to have impacts today with Indigenous communities still experiencing barriers to inclusion.

“We recognize that it is not enough to acknowledge past injustices and the ongoing impacts of colonization; we must also commit to meaningful action to combat discrimination and better support the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action,” Carter said. “We know there is much work ahead of us. We look forward to continuing to advance anti-Indigenous racism initiatives, dismantling barriers to participation, and centering the experiences, both past and present, of Indigenous communities as we work towards a more inclusive and equitable future.”

Activities Saturday at the lakefront park will include:

• a family area with storytelling, craft making and interactive activities;
• an education area with a water teaching, workshops and demonstrations;
• food and merchandise vendors displaying locally created artwork;
• a main stage featuring a variety of presenters including hand drumming, hoop dancing, storytelling and more

Parking is available at the paved parking lot attached to the park and some on-street is also available within the area.

Indigenous History Month also includes two additional key dates for the Oshawa community to get involved and learn more about Indigenous culture and language: June 6 – Anishinaabe Day – and June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The City collaborated with Anishinaabe cultural consultant Kim Wheatley and Oshawa’s Indigenous Relations Advisor to host the inaugural cultural celebration. To learn more visit the City’s Truth and Reconciliation webpage on oshawa.ca.