Aboriginal Celebration

Although we're halfway through, this June has been a month-long celebration of Aboriginal history and culture in Canada with programs carrying messages from the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

The history of Aboriginal groups in our country is a diverse one, and there is no shortage of things to learn, traditions to explore and ideas to discuss.

If you're looking for a good read - fiction and non-fiction - check out our latest Aboriginal Celebration booklist.

Discussion of native peoples, particularly in North America, almost always leads me to think about images and representations in the media. What do we know about all these groups? The CBC covers a number of Aboriginal issues in Canada, including current events and notable Aboriginal figures in politics. My fave part: they also have a focus on cool, new Aboriginal music -- for example, here's an interview with Kristi Lane Sinclair, who blends a mix of classical and grunge.

Cultural celebrations here at the library are always about a mix of learning new things, celebrating old traditions, and creating an awareness and appreciation of different cultures. A big part of celebrating Aboriginal culture -- and, in fact, various cultures of all First Nations and native groups -- is also breaking down misconceptions and barriers that, unfortunately, still exist.

Thinking about issues like using particular tribes as mascots for sports teams, or 'playing Indian' can be problematic and naturally, deserves discussion. To supplement this month's booklist, here are some other titles you may want to look at that discuss a broader spectrum of Native groups in North America:

   

Got other books, resources or events you know of celebrating Aboriginal history and culture? Share with us in the comments!