Celebrating Indigenous culture and heritage during National Indigenous History Month

This June, Surrey Schools is recognizing National Indigenous History Month, an opportunity to celebrate and honour the Indigenous roots of Canada’s history, as well as locally in Surrey, White Rock and Barnston Island.

Surrey and White Rock are on the shared, unceded, traditional territory of the Katzie, Semiahmoo and Kwantlen Nations, and other Coast Salish Peoples. The district has more than 3,200 students from these First Nations as well as many others, including Squamish, Gitxsan, Haida, Inuit, Métis, Cree and Mi'kmaw.

2023 marks the 14th anniversary of National Indigenous History Month, created in 2009 in a unanimous motion in the House of Commons. June 21 also marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, to recognize the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to Canadian history and diversity.

The district supports ongoing efforts to promote Indigenous culture and history, and to provide appropriate reconciliation. During this school year, these efforts have included:

• Establishing the district’s Racial Equity department to foster safe learning environments for all BIPOC students and staff while eliminating racism and discrimination in our schools.
• Unveiling Welcome figures carved by Coast Salish artists Gary Leon and Brandon Gabriel at nine schools: Bothwell, Douglas, Edgewood, Maddaugh and Regent Road elementaries, and Fleetwood Park, Fraser Heights, Frank Hurt and Grandview Heights secondaries.
• Supporting the B.C. government’s K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan and formal recognition of the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation as a provincial statutory holiday.
• The in-person return of the Cross-Cultural Symposium on Anti-Racism and Intersectionality, an annual event for secondary students to discuss matters of race-based discrimination and racial equity, with one of this year’s topics being anti-Indigenous racism.
• Recognizing such observances as Red Dress Day to remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people in Canada.
• Promoting National Truth & Reconciliation Day events and educating teachers through Truth & Reconciliation professional development opportunities.
• Celebrating the Semiahmoo First Nation with the return of the Earl Marriott Semiahmoo First Nation Pow Wow following a three-year hiatus.
• Honouring Indigenous artists who contributed their work to École Salish Secondary.
• Highlighting student projects, such as a documentary on the history of Semiahmoo Secondary’s reconciliation efforts with the Semiahmoo First Nation.

As part of the B.C. school curriculum, Indigenous history and culture are referenced in every subject and grade level, from social studies to language arts to science. Additionally, many schools across the district showcase Indigenous artwork, such as welcome figures, murals and carvings that encourage and celebrate a strong and important connection to Indigenous roots.