The flag about to be raised outside of Lethbridge City Hall (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Blackfoot Confederacy flag raised in Lethbridge to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day

Jun 21, 2021 | 12:08 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The City of Lethbridge marked the occasion with the raising of the Blackfoot Confederacy flag Monday morning. The Blackfoot Confederacy is comprised of the Kainai Nation, the Piegan Blackfeet, Piikani Nation and the Siksika Nation.

The ceremony outside of Lethbridge City Hall featured traditional dances and speeches from special guests, including Mayor Chris Spearman and Elder Blanche Bruised Head.

Pamela Beebe, the city’s Indigenous Relations Coordinator said recognizing the contributions of the Blackfoot peoples is very important. She praised the hark work of the Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee, which launched following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

“We really appreciate the mayor and council standing behind this work [of the local committee] and supporting it. The mayor and the deputy mayor are both members of the Reconciliation Committee.”

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Beebe said raising the Blackfoot Confederacy flag is very important for everyone.

“Especially young people, especially the ones who may have been affected by the Sixties Scoop – which is still happening. It started in the 1960s where children were forcibly removed from families, and it’s still happening today, and it’s a way for them to connect to their culture, to their language, to the dance, to the dress, to everything.”

Beebe added that, “it’s a sense of pride for us to show that we belong here, we matter, we’re welcome, that we’re part of this city.”

She noted that the national day is also a time to reflect on the recent discovery of 215 child graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Beebe said a few of the Calls to Action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report addressed finding unmarked graves at former residential school sites.

“It’s good that this is coming to light, it’s good that we’re finding them and that there will be funds and money and resources put towards the residential schools.”

The Blackfoot Confederacy Flag (Lethbridge News Now)

Beebe is asking everyone in the community to speak with Blackfoot peoples to learn as much as they can about their culture, saying, “I welcome you to come and meet us, come talk to us, get to know us and we invite you to our pow-wows. They are open to the public and the tourism would be excellent for the reserves.”

“I’m really hoping that people get to know us and attend our events and learn what we have. Yes, there’s a lot of trauma in the past, but there’s also a lot of wonderful [and] great things happening as you saw today, and there’s so many ways to be involved.”

The Blackfoot Confederacy flag seen alongside the Canadian and Métis flags at Lethbridge City Hall (Lethbridge News Now)

Beebe remarked that herself, she’s attempting to learn the Blackfoot language. It was also noted that new permanent flag poles are being installed outside of Lethbridge City Hall.

There are currently three poles set up, and once the new poles are installed, the Reconciliation and Blackfoot flags will be able to fly permanently alongside the Lethbridge flag and others flown outside of City Hall.