STOUGHTON — Activities were held in Stoughton to mark the National Indigenous People's Day.
The parade began at Stoughton Central School, and when they passed the Stoughton Tecumseh Fire Department, the residents from the Stoughton New Hope Pioneer Lodge were lined up on the street.
As the Ocean Man First Nation’s (OMFN) truck came slowly down Main Street in Stoughton it was pulling a trailer that held the drum band from the reserve. And when the drums echoed through the street and the singers performed their songs, they were followed by new OMFN council member Justin Holness, Sgt. Warner Ignatiuk and Const. Alex Long from the Weyburn and Fillmore detachments.
They were followed by women and children dressed in regalia as they jingled down the street, and two riders on horses concluded the parade.
Arnold Akachuk, the wellness lead at OMFN Health Centre, spoke to the crowd about the importance of the day. Chanel Praiser is the wellness assistant and Tasheena Bison is the community enhancement worker, and together the three of them make up the team for the centre.
He introduced the drum band that came from OMFN and how they have worked hard for the past several years to reach their current level.
Akachuk said it is a day they want to share with people about who they are, what their songs mean and what the dances stand for.
A teepee was constructed beside the Stoughton Post Office and people could go inside to see how the Indigenous people lived many years ago.
Carrie Johns, Sunshine Akachuk and Jamyes Blacksioux did the Traditional Dance. It tells a story, and it is a celebration of life, a way of thanking the Creator for the four seasons, and a prayer for their loved ones to return home safely.
The next dance was the Shawl Dance, also known as the Butterfly Dance. This was performed by Autumn Bigstone, Harmony Bigstone and Juni Blacksioux.
It often incorporates twirls, hops and skips. The shawl has fringes and as they swing the colourful shawl around, it signifies the wings of a butterfly.
The dance mimics the gracefulness of a butterfly in flight, and it is to create a visual display of their movements.
A feast was offered near the teepee where everyone had a chance to socialize or ask questions about the Indigenous heritage and culture.
