Iyeesha McNab, 6, takes a bite of her pancakes at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Pancake Breakfast

National Indigenous People’s Day celebrating resiliency

Jun 21, 2024 | 1:00 PM

A rainy morning and power outages couldn’t dampen the spirits of participants of the “Miyawatamowin Sohkastwatin” pancake breakfast event hosted by Battle River Treaty 6 Health Centre Inc., at the Agrivilla in North Battleford.

Translated into “Celebrating Resiliency,” the message, the music and the community spoke to the meaning of National Indigenous People’s Day on Fri., June. 21.

Audi Atcheynum plays a solo during a performance during Gypsy Moonbirs’s set at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

As the crowds feasted on pancakes and visited each other, battlefordsNOW and meadowlakeNOW spoke with those who attended about what the day meant to them and how they are honouring the Calls to Action.

“To me it means a lot and it’s a happy day and a sad day,” said Marlene Albert, who lost her daughter 19 years ago.

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She explained it was also a time to catch up with people they haven’t seen for a while.

Marlene Albert at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“It’s nice, I like the music, I like the people. It’s good.”

Sarah Schmaus, a member of Métis Nation—Saskatchewan said the day “is for Indigenous Peoples to hold space that they historically have been deprived of.”

Sarah Schmaus at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“We can vote, we can be lawyers, appoint lawyers to represent us.”

As someone who recently graduated law school and is now at Legal Aid, Schmaus serves on the Indigenous Advisory Council for the Federation of Law Societies of Canada. Schmaus said that they are hard at work, she also offered some ways others may be active.

“Just highlighting to your employers or schools or anywhere or the institutions anything they’re doing wrong and things that they can do better in terms of reconciliation, I feel like is just for the benefit of the (Truth and Reconciliation Commission).”

Lawren Trotchie, practicing lawyer and part time assistant professor at University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law, from the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan, said one of the courses that she teaches was directly mandated in a response to the Calls to Action.

Lawren Trotchie at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“Specifically having law schools provide education on…treaties, Nation-to-Nation relationships, reconciliation and the history that has happened here within what we now call Canada and Turtle Island,” she said.

“I think it’s really important as an Indigenous person that we have representation both in our legal systems but in our legal education.”

Twelve-year-old Cory Wuttunee said to him, the day meant taking responsibility to honour Indigenous people and show respect.

Cory Wuttunee, 12, at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“People showing that they care and that we’re still here and I’ve been participating by coming to events that have been happening in the Battlefords lately.”

“I do respect for the people that participate in what they do as First Nations,” said Livi Fiddler, 12, noting she also respects their hard work.

Livi Fiddler, 12, at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“I’m really glad they made a day like this because I’s really happy and it shows a lot of nice stuff that we do – what they do for us – and what First Nations do with the whole world,” she added noting she participates by dancing and wearing ribbon skirts.

Meanwhile, Elsie Katcheech,12, said, “I guess just to honour the Indigenous People.”

Elsie Katcheech, 12, at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“I wear ribbon skirts and I participate in powwows.”

Landis Roan and nine-year-old Jett Henry at the National Indigenous Pancake Breakfast on Fri., June 21 at the Agrivilla. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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