Celebrating Indigenous History Month
Learning, Reflecting, and Honouring Indigenous Ways of Knowing
June is Indigenous History Month in Canada. For many, it is a time of learning, reflection, and honouring the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
In 2007, Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway and her husband began a letter-writing campaign to ask city, provincial and the federal governments to recognize June as Indigenous History Month. (Matt Howard/CBC)
But before there was a month, there was June 21st—the Summer Solstice—known as National Indigenous Peoples Day and, earlier, as a day of solidarity. As the CBC has documented in this article, the evolution from a single day to a full month reflects a growing recognition that Indigenous history, knowledge, and ways of being deserve sustained, focused attention.
At Lynwood Charlton Centre, we hold a clear understanding: our work in child and youth mental health cannot be separated from truth and reconciliation. The legacy of residential schools, the ongoing impacts of colonialism, and the systemic barriers faced by Indigenous families are not abstract concepts. They are lived realities that directly affect mental health and well-being.
But reconciliation is not only about acknowledging past harms. It is also about celebrating present strengths and building a future of mutual respect.
That is why, on June 23, 2026, we are hosting an Indigenous History Month Celebration at our Upper Paradise location. This day is not a lecture or a training. It is a gathering—an invitation to experience, honour, and enjoy the vibrant cultures of the Indigenous peoples who have cared for these lands.
What Are Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being?
Before we describe the day's events, it is important to understand the foundation upon which they are built. Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being are not a single, uniform set of beliefs. As Queen's University explains, the term recognizes the "beautiful complexity and diversity of Indigenous ways of learning and teaching." The practices, languages, and protocols of one Indigenous community may look very different from another.
However, there are common threads that run through many Indigenous worldviews. As the Government of British Columbia notes, Indigenous Knowledge is:
Holistic, cumulative and dynamic – it encompasses the physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual realms, all of which are interconnected.
Built on ancestral relationships with the land, waters, plants, animals, and all elements of creation.
Adaptive to social, economic, environmental, spiritual, and political change.
Passed down through generations via oral tradition, story, metaphor, and lived practice.
Importantly, Indigenous ways of knowing are inseparable from Indigenous ways of being—how one lives, acts, and relates to others. The "Indigenous wholistic framework" (as described in Pulling Together: A Guide for Front-Line Staff) identifies four guiding principles that are common across many Indigenous cultures:
Respect: Honouring Indigenous knowledges, community protocols, and reflecting without judgment on what one sees and hears.
Responsibility: Building and sustaining credible relationships with Indigenous communities and understanding the impact of one's actions.
Relevance: Ensuring that programs, services, and curricula are responsive to the needs identified by Indigenous communities themselves.
Reciprocity: Sharing knowledge throughout the entire learning process, recognizing that all participants are both students and teachers.
These principles are not abstract ideals. They are lived, daily practices that guide how Indigenous Peoples relate to each other, to the land, and to all beings. As the BC government's website states, Indigenous Knowledge is "integrated and applied to daily living." It is practical, experiential, and deeply relational.
This understanding of wholistic health—where mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are inseparable—aligns profoundly with our mission at LCC. When we support a child's mental health, we are not treating a single symptom in isolation. We are caring for the whole person, in relationship with their family, community, culture, and land.
Deepening Our Understanding | Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being in the Natural World
This video introduces First Nations and Metis cultural practices that are at the heart of how local Indigenous peoples relate to the earth and each other. This video was created by QUILLS (Queen’s University Indigenous Land-Based Learning STEM).
What We Will Experience Together
The artists, crafts, and foods we have invited to join us on June 23rd are not mere entertainment. They are living expressions of these sophisticated knowledge systems. Each element of the day offers a doorway into a different facet of Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being:
Little Creek Drummers
The drum is often called the heartbeat of many Indigenous cultures. Little Creek Drummers will share two powerful sessions of traditional drumming and song. In many Indigenous worldviews, the drum connects the singer to the earth, to ancestors, and to the community. Listening to the drum is not a passive act; it is a form of relational participation—an opportunity to feel the rhythm of interconnectedness.
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre
Founded by award-winning Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) performer and choreographer Santee Smith, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre is internationally renowned for blending contemporary dance with Indigenous tradition. Their performance is a testament to the living, evolving nature of Indigenous art. It demonstrates that Indigenous Ways of Knowing are not frozen in the past; they are dynamic, innovative, and responsive to the present.
Corn Husk Doll Making
Led by artist Cas Sault, this hands-on workshop teaches participants the traditional craft of corn husk doll making—a practice rich with story and cultural significance. Corn husk dolls carry teachings about respect, identity, and the importance of humility. By engaging in this craft, participants are not just making an object; they are learning through doing—a core aspect of Indigenous teachings.
Cedar Spoon Indigenous Catering
Food is a carrier of culture, language, and relationship. Cedar Spoon will provide a catered lunch and refreshments featuring Indigenous ingredients and traditional recipes. Sharing a meal is an act of reciprocity and community building. It honours the principle that knowledge—and wellness—is often passed through the simple, profound act of eating together.
A Day of Celebration, Not a Day of Mourning
We are intentional in naming this a celebration. As a society, we often focus on Indigenous history through the lens of trauma—residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and ongoing systemic racism. These truths must be taught and remembered. September's Orange Shirt Day serves that vital purpose: honouring the children who never returned home and educating future generations about the harms of the residential school system.
But June is different. June is a time to celebrate Indigenous ways of knowing and being—the languages, the arts, the ceremonies, the resilience, and the joy that have survived and flourished despite centuries of attempted erasure.
Both are necessary. We need days of mourning and days of celebration. Both are acts of truth and reconciliation.
Our Commitment to the Future
This June 23rd event is not an endpoint. It is a beginning.
Our vision is to make this an annual celebration, one that grows and deepens each year as we build stronger, more authentic relationships with Indigenous partners, knowledge keepers, and artists in the Hamilton community. As the EdCan Network article on "Welcoming Indigenous Ways of Knowing" emphasizes, meaningful change requires ethical relationality—an approach that does not deny difference but seeks to understand how different histories and experiences position us in relation to each other.
True reconciliation means co-creating these events with Indigenous peoples, not for them. We are committed to walking that path, listening, and learning.
Nya:weh (Haudenosaunee Cayuga)
Nya:wen (Haudenosaunee Mohawk)
Chi Miigwetch (Anishinaabe)
With gratitude and respect,
The Team at Lynwood Charlton Centre
