June 6, 2017
Winnipeg, Manitoba – Aboriginal Day Live links all Canadians to celebrate opportunities and learn more about First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. It showcases the unparalleled talent that is woven into the mosaic of this country, and the experience starts right when you set foot on the grounds.
All eight host cities will offer free daytime activities -and each will be as unique as the culture and Peoples of the region.
The cities will be united, despite the distance, through significant traditions. One will be the Round Dance or Drum Dance, which vary from community to community. Originally, a healing dance —it has also become known as a social dance in the form of a celebration. Participants join hands to create a large circle, as a symbol of equality, moving to their left with a side-shuffle step following the drumbeat, bending their knees to highlight the formation.
We invite everyone to join hands, follow the beating of the drum and enjoy the beauty of the song. At noon – central time – all are invited to gather in a show of solidarity in the largest round dance Canada has ever seen. It will be unlike something you’ve experienced before, join one of the gatherings on location on June 21.
Halifax: 2:00 p.m. -2:30 p.m. at Waterfront —Sands at Salter
Montréal: 1:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m. at Place des Arts at Sainte-Catherine and Jeanne Mance
Ottawa:1:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m. at Major’s Hill Park
Toronto: 1:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m. at Fort York
Winnipeg: 12:00 p.m. -12:30 p.m. at The Forks
Yellowknife: 11:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. at Somba K’e Park
Edmonton: 11:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. at Victoria Park
Vancouver: 10:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. at Trout Lake
*Round dances promptly start at 15 minutes past the hour.
Canada’s largest round dance will be broadcast live on June 21 at 12:24 p.m.CTon APTN.
To find out who’s playing in your city or for more information on daytime activities, including sunrise ceremonies, artisans, children’s activities and more, visit aboriginaldaylive.ca or follow APTN’s social scene. Everyone is welcome to join the conversation anytime on Twitter or Instagram in using #ADL2017, and posts will be shared with the APTN social media audience.
About Aboriginal Day Live
Aboriginal Day Live is held annually since 2007 and is the largest celebration of National Aboriginal Day, a celebration of Aboriginal Peoples’ cultures and heritage and the summer solstice in Canada. Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) presents the free day-time program of activities and evening concert in Winnipeg, MB, setting up a twin stage across the country for most years. The LIVE multi-platform concert broadcast is available to all Canadians and beyond via APTN, radio waves and online. For more information, please visit aboriginaldaylive.ca.
About National Aboriginal Day –A celebration of Aboriginal Peoples’ culture and heritage
National Aboriginal Day is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. It was first celebrated on June 21, 1996, after being recognized through a proclamation by then Governor General Roméo LeBlanc. National Aboriginal Day is part of the Celebrate Canada program, though most provinces do not recognize it as a statutory holiday.
For further information about Aboriginal Day Liveor APTN and image requests, please contact:
Raegan Hedley
CommunicationsSpecialist, Dooley Communications (204) 232-3339
[email protected]
Janice Tober
Senior PR Associate, Dooley Communications
(204) 951-1480
[email protected]