Dancing and drumming are part of the National Aboriginal Day celebrations planned for Anvil Centre on Friday.
Community members are invited to attend the celebration that’s taking place on Friday, June 19 at Anvil Centre from noon to 4 p.m. The event includes cultural resource tables, arts and crafts, food for purchase and performances.
“We want everyone to come out and celebrate National Aboriginal Day,” said Liz Wilson, an aboriginal supported child development consultant with the Spirit of the Children Society. “It’s a celebration and we want people to know who we are and to feel welcome to enjoy Aboriginal Day with us.”
Located in an office across the street from Anvil Centre, the Spirit of the Children Society is a non-profit group that works to empower and strengthen Aboriginal families in New Westminster, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities by providing support and resources through a variety of programs.
“We host powwow dance lessons over there on Thursday nights, a couple of times throughout the year,” Wilson said. “Carmen Littlejohn teaches all ages, and we use the space at Anvil Centre because they have a dance studio.”
The society is excited to be hosting a celebration of this magnitude at Anvil Centre, Wilson said.
“We are going to have aboriginal resource tables for families, information-based resources,” she said. “We are going to have powwow dancers. It’s not a traditional powwow, but there will be cultural events of powwow drummers and dancers. As well, there will be a West Coast dance group.”
The Git Hayetsk Dancers will do a West Coast dancing performance, while Tyler Jacobs and Carmen Littlejohn, along with the Oceanside Dakota drum group, will be featured in a powwow dancing performance.
The National Aboriginal Day celebration is free, but people are able to purchase food at Anvil Centre. The event is being hosted by the Spirit of the Children Society, the City of New Westminster and Anvil Centre.
