The Holy Trinity Catholic School Division (HTSD) is hosting its first-ever annual all-day event for Indigenous Peoples Day. 

Indigenous Peoples Day is a nationally recognized day on June 21st. The day is dedicated to celebrating and recognizing Indigenous cultures across Canada with the summer solstice. 

“The Holy Trinity Catholic School Division decided that we are going to plan a full day to recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day,” says Vivian Gauvin, Vice Principle at St. Agnes School. “It’s a day to recognize and celebrate our Indigenous heritage and all of the outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people and what they’ve given to Canada."  

The HTSD brought all of its students within all of its schools in Moose Jaw to Vanier Collegiate to witness and partake in a variety of demonstrations.  

The day consisted of inspirational Indigenous speakers, storytellers, and musicians like Moose Jaw’s very own Brittnee Prettyshield. The Cree Spirit Drum Group also performed traditional drumming sequences. 

The event was initially supposed to be outside at Sacred Heart School and it was supposed to be open to any city residents that wished to attend.  

However, due to poor weather, it was decided to be held indoors at Vanier Collegiate.  

“Normally we would allow the public (to come) but because it’s an indoor venue, it only housed just enough for our Holy Trinity Catholic School students,” says Gauvin.  

Gauvin added that this event was needed for the community and the school division, “Doing nothing is doing nothing and we want to do better than that. So, our division intentionally planned an authentic day to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. We did it with purpose. We want to try to start doing better and recognizing all the contributions of First Nations people in Saskatchewan.”