November 5-11 is Treaties Recognition Week. This week recognizes the importance of learning about the treaties between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, their history and treaty rights and obligations. Knowledge of these documents and their legal frameworks is essential to reconciliation. To learn more, check out the titles on this list. 

Check out some of the titles on the First Nation Communities Read (FNCR) shortlists! FNCR celebrates the very best of Indigenous literature across Turtle Island. The program encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling and intergenerational knowledge transmission. FNCR also helps to increase awareness of the importance of First Nation, Metis and Inuit writing, illustration and publishing.

The winners were announced during First Nation Public Library Week during the first week of October. Be sure to check out the complete 2023-24 Adult/YA list and Children’s list.

Sisters in Spirit vigils and walks are held annually every October 4, the National Day of Action for MMIWG, honouring the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit, transgender and gender-diverse people.

In June 2019, the MMIWG National Inquiry released its final report, showing that “persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people.”

See the profiles of some of the missing and murdered using CBC’s Case Explorer.

The MMIWG crisis support call line is available to provide support for anyone who requires assistance. This line is available free of charge, 24/7. Please call 1-844-413-6649 if you or someone you know needs help or support.

Orange Shirt Day is observed annually on September 30 to honour Indigenous residential school survivors and their families and to remember the children who did not come home.

Residential school survivors can call 1-866-925-4419 for emotional crisis referral services. Indigenous Peoples across Canada can also call the toll-free Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or connect to the online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

In a world where music transcends boundaries and cultures, Turtle Island Indigenous Music Throughout the Ages promises to be an exciting experience for anyone interested in Indigenous instruments. Learn from David Finkle on September 28 at 6 p.m via Zoom.