National Aboriginal Day 2008 - Video

Transcript

To me, National Aboriginal Day

I believe National Aboriginal Day

Aboriginal Day means to me

To me, National Aboriginal Day

National Aboriginal Day

to me means

To me, National Aboriginal Day

To me, Aboriginal Day

To me, National Aboriginal Day is

National Aboriginal Day to me

To me, National Aboriginal Day

Is an important day for all Canadians.

To celebrate what's wonderful about Aboriginal Peoples in Canada.

(music)

As a new employee at INAC, I'm really looking forward to National Aboriginal Day so I can learn more about the Aboriginal culture and take part in the cultural festivities.

Thanks in large part to the Apology and to the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation commission. I feel in some senses that I've been awakened to the great suffering that has occured amoung the Aboriginal people here in Canada, and I'm looking forward to appreciating and participating in the activities of National Aboriginal Day.

To me, National Aboriginal Day is about learning about all the fascinating cultures and the overall history of Canada.

I love to eat, so every year I really look forward to the bannock making contest.

National Aboriginal Day is to me an example and a reminder of what every day should be, an opportunity to listen, see and ask questions.

To me, National Aboriginal Day is about discovering and showcasing the many different cultures of Aboriginal people of our nation, as much as for Canadians as it is for Aboriginal people.

A wonderful opportunity to thank the founding people's of Canada for their extraordinary artistic cultural and historic contributions to Canadian society.

It's obviously a celebration of a rich and remarkable culture.

Aboriginal Day means to me, unity. Especially when the children are involved. I've been involved with Aboriginal Day, volunteering for several years and enjoyed it immensely.

The memories that I have from when we've started celebrating the day, I've been in the NorthWest Territories, I've been in Manitoba, I've been in Vancouver. I've been across this country and there's a lot to celebrate about Canada's Aboriginal Peoples.

It serves as a reminder that Aboriginal people are an important part of our Canadian heritage, our history, our demographics, our geography and our culture.

You know when I think of National Aboriginal Day, I think of the longest day of the year, you know because it's June 21st. When I was growing up, up North, people, kids especially would play out all day long and all night long. We would go for midnight picnics, and stay up as long as we liked and that's something that for me, growing up, up North, you know that's what I think of.

June 21st is an Aboriginal Day

This day has great significance to me

For me, it's a part about being an Aboriginal person in Canada that instills a lot of pride.

To me, this is an important day for the Aboriginals of this country.

Is a day of celebration. It's a day that the government of Canada has recognized as a day where the Aboriginal people of Canada, their contributions to Canada are recognized.

So take a moment and participate in your own way on National Aboriginal Day, so that you too may appreciate more fully the cultures of Aboriginal people.