Over 130 people took part in this year's National Indigenous Peoples Day parade which marched through Williams Lake on Saturday, June 21.
The parade set off from the Northern Shuswap Tribal Council office on First Avenue South and wound through the city streets, with people singing, dancing and smiling as they made their way to Boitanio Park.
Among the paraders were Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek and Dog Creek), Xatśūll First Nation, Tsq’escenemc (Canim Lake), Canoe Creek Daycare, Esk'etemc's Sxoxomic Community School, Knucwentwecw Society and many more. School District 27's Indigenous Role Models Michaellaine Evans and Terrence Ramos shared a float with friends, and several paraders shared candy, or a splash of water from their water guns, with the crowd.
Williams Lake First Nation led the parade with Kukpi7 (Chief) Willie Sellars as well as local veteran and Treaty Manager for Xatśūll Gordon Keener walking ahead of the parade floats.
David Johnny from the Chilcotin Dream Band, David Noskey, Tanya Hutch and Hilly Johnson brought live entertainment to Boitanio Park where vendors sold food and crafts. There were also booths set up by different organizations to share information about local services and activities including rock painting, ball hockey and bouncy castles were sure to be a hit. The Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy set up a story walk among the many booths set up in the park including Work BC, Taseko Gibraltar and the All Nations Healing House.
The event was put together by Williams Lake First Nation, Xatsull First Nation, the Tsq’escenemc (Canim Lake) and Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nations, began at 11 a.m. with a welcoming ceremony, booths, vendors and activities in the park until 4 p.m.
