This June, we recognize Indigenous Peoples Day and Pride Month

Indigenous Peoples Day

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. The Canadian Constitution recognizes these three groups as Aboriginal peoples, also known as Indigenous peoples.

Although these groups share many similarities, they each have their own distinct heritage, language, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs.

In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, for National Aboriginal Day, now known as National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.

For more comprehensive information on Indigenous communities in Canada, including reconciliation, visit our Indigenous Resources page.

Join us for Indigenous Peoples Day Story Time

Register Online | Tuesday, June 21 | 10:30 to 11:00 AM PT

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day at story time with picture books by and about Indigenous people. For kids and families. 

Library Resources

Try these subject headings, electronic resources, or check with reference staff for more materials:

• Indigenous Peoples – Canada
• Indigenous Peoples—Canada—History
• Indigenous Culture
• Okanagan Indians*
  • The subject heading used for this search, “Okanagan Indians,” reflects outdated verbiage used to classify library material and does not reflect the opinions or outlook of the Okanagan Regional Library
• Okanagan legends and fables for children
• North American legends and fables for children

Booklists

• National Indigenous Peoples Day (ORL eBooks for Adults)
• National Indigenous Peoples Day (ORL eBooks for Kids)

Looking for something specific? Try the ORL’s What to Enjoy Next service.  Our library staff are excited to help you find your next favourite book, movie, or TV show. Tell us what you like, and we will create you a personalized suggestions list (up to 5 suggestions within 5-7 days).  If you are interested in Kids or Teens titles?  Try their form.

Additional External Resources

Local Nations

• Westbank First Nation: Culture & Language – Located in south central British Columbia, Canada, the Okanagan Valley is home to Westbank First Nation, one of eight First Nation communities that form the Okanagan Nation.
• Ki-Low-Na Friendship Centre – The Friendship Centre Movement includes the National Association of Friendship Centres, provincial associations, and Friendship Centres throughout Canada. They supply programs and services to all peoples in all four stages of life: infants/children, youth, adults, and Elders.
• Okanagan Nation Alliance – The inaugural First Nations government in the Okanagan which represents the 8 member communities including Okanagan Indian Band, Upper Nicola Band, Westbank First Nation, Penticton Indian Band, Osoyoos Indian Band and Lower and Upper Similkameen Indian Bands and the Colville Confederated Tribes on areas of common concern.
• Splatsin– The Splatsin(pronounced spla-jeen)people live on Indian reserve lands next to the City of Enderby to the south and across the Shuswap River to the east. The Splatsin are the southernmost tribe of the Secwe̓pemc Nation, the largest Interior Salish speaking First Nation in Canada.
• Sinixt – Sinixt Nation is the collective group of indigenous human-beings who are the sovereign indigenous caretakers of Sinixt tum-ula7xw (mother-earth), found in the area now known as "the interior plateau of BC, Canada". Sinixt territory extends North of "Revelstoke, BC", crosses an international boundaries to "Kettle Falls, Washington" in the south, to the Monashee Ridge in the West, andin the east and is traditionally all the way from the Rocky Mountain Ridge encompassing the entirety of the headwaters of the "shwan-etk-qwa" (Columbia River).
• K'tunaxa – Ktunaxa (pronounced ‘k-too-nah-ha’) people have occupied the lands next to the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers and the Arrow Lakes of British Columbia, Canada for more than 10,000 years.
• Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc – The Tk‘emlúpsemc, ‘the people of the confluence’, now known as the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc are members of the Interior-Salish Secwepemc (Shuswap) speaking peoples of British Columbia.

Language & Culture

• List of events — Celebrate Canada - Find events across BC or Canada celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day (or try the interactive map).
• First Peoples’ Map of BC – This interactive map by the First Peoples Cultural Council details over 360 individual Indigenous artists and cultural groups, and 34 Indigenous languages across British Columbia.
• Sncəwips Heritage Museum – The Sncəwips Heritage Museum began as a repository after Westbank First Nation achieved self-government in 2005. Our museum continues to supply a protected place for sqilxʷ culture and heritage.Our museum allows the public to experience the collections, histories, and oral stories of the syilx people from a sqilxʷ perspective.
• Sncewips Heritage Museum: Language - N̓syilxčn̓ is the language of the syilx nation and interconnected and woven into the syilx nation. Use this link to find a language request form and links to resources to use to learn nsyilxcən.
• Syilx Language House –Their mission is to create new fluent N̓syilxčn̓ (Syilx, Salish, Okanagan, N̓səl̓xčin̓) speakers in the SyilxNation, provide a safe learning environment, act with professionalism, lateral kindness, and reflect our deep sqilxʷ teachings.
• FirstVoices - Is a suite of web-based tools and services designed to support Indigenous people engaged in language archiving, language teaching and culture revitalization
• Canadian Language Museum: Indigenous Language Apps & Websites – Established in 2011, the Canadian Language Museum promotes an appreciation of all the languages used in Canada and of their role in the development of this nation. This page is a resource list for the Indigenous Language in Canada.
• First Nations A-Z Listing – An alphabetical listing of First Nations, including information about the First Nation(s) and current activities.
• Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada - This government website supplies links to: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Indian Residential Schools, and Treaties, agreements and negotiations.
• Aboriginal Educational Programs in BC – Selected programs from BC post-secondary institutions with an indigenous focus.
• Union of Indian Chiefs - Resources – Online resources, library and archives, visual timeline, and other historical information about the Indigenous experience in BC.
• Learn More About First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples Across Canada – a variety of resources from the federal government to start your learning journey.

For more information on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis-led virtual activities, please visit:

• Assembly of First Nations
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Métis National Council
• Your local Friendship Centre

Pride Month

June is Pride month and is one of many days through the year celebrating diversity and inclusion.  As part of Pride Month (and all year long), we want to celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ creators and stories. 

Library Events

Let’s kick-off Pride Month with an evening of adult only virtual BINGO hosted by the sweet, salty and all together glamorous queen, Ella Lamoureux. 

Was held on June 6, 2022

Online Inclusive Rainbow Story Time

Picture books featuring LGBTQ2+ people and families. Celebrate being yourself and accepting others!  Presented by Vernon Library

Was held on June 7, 2022.

Library Resources

Try these subject headings, online resources, or check with reference staff for more materials:

• Lesbians
• Gays
• Bisexuals
• Homosexuality
• Transgender people
• Gender nonconformity

Learn about the history of Pride and the Gay Rights Movement from Britannica Libraries. 

Discover the historical journey of the Pride movement from a more local perspective through the BC Historical Newspapers collection.  Find articles from:

• The Province - 1898 to 2010
• The Vancouver Sun - 1912 to 2010
• The Times-Colonist - 1884 to 2010.

Celebrate Queer culture with online magazines! We have OUT and The Advocate, Attitude Magazine, & Gay Times from our OverDrive Magazines collection. And from our PressReader collection, you can find a selection of LGBTQ magazines in several languages.

Need some happily-ever-after reading suggestions? Our fiction recommendation site, NoveList, has got you covered with romantic reads.

If you aren't so much for the romance, NoveList has suggestions for novels that feature LGBTQIA characters across a wide variety of genres and topics. 

Get some guidance on making your workspace a welcoming place for everyone, LinkedIn Learning for Libraries has video courses on Diversity & Inclusion.

Kanopy Streaming Films – Drawing from their incredible library of LGBTQ+ films, Kanopy has curated a collection for Pride Month. To view these films that cover everything from historical events to pioneers bravely taking a stand against injustice, visit go.kanopy.com/pride. #PrideMonth

Please connect with library staff if you encounter issues with accessing these online resources.

Booklists

• Pride Month from OverDrive/ORL eBooks (Adults)

Looking for something specific? Try the ORL’s What to Enjoy Next service.  Our library staff are excited to help you find your next favourite book, movie, or TV show. Tell us what you like, and we will create you a personalized suggestions list (up to 5 suggestions with in 5-7 days).

If you are interested in Kids or Teens titles?  Try their form.

Additional External Resources

• Kelowna Pride Resources – This website is comprehensive and includes a local, closed Facebook group, a positive, safe, inclusive, supportive space for gender-nonconforming, non-binary, transsexual, transgender, gender queer, intersexed or questioning, or any other variation under the rainbow spectrum, people living in or near Kelowna or the Okanagan.
• South Okanagan Similkameen Pride – The South Okanagan Similkameen Pride Society supports the regional LGBTQ2+communitythrough education advocacy and providing safe spaces and inclusive events for anyone.
• UBC Okanagan Pride – The UBCO Pride Resource Centre (PRC) is a space on campus where LGBT and Ally students can come and talk about issues and challenges, they face on and off campus. The PRC is a paraprofessional service which does not supply medical (mental or physical) advice but can refer students to professional healthcare services on or off campus. Volunteers for the PRC provide a safe, confidential space for LGBT and Ally students through events and office hours where students can come, have fun, and discuss LGBT issues.
• Kelowna Trans Resources – This is another comprehensive website of trans and on-binary resources, with a wealth of specific information on a wide range of issues, including medical referrals, clothing, skin, drop-in groups for transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, and intersex people as well as for significant others, friends, and allies.
• GLAAD Transgender FAQ – Learn more about transgender people and the issues important to them.
• Trans Care BC – Trans Care BC supports the delivery of equitable and accessible care, surgical planning, and peer and community support for trans people across the province.
• Families Love Each Other – Resources for families on how to talk about gender and sexual identities.  Helpful cards are available in multiple languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Punjabi, Spanish, and Urdu).
• History of Canadian Pride – QueerEvents supplies a brief timeline of notable events in the history of Pride in Canada. Queer history is expansive, and this is not, by any means, a comprehensive list.
• Qmunity - BC's queer, trans, and Two-Spirit resource centre out of Vancouver provides support through its youth, seniors & older adults, counselling, informational & referrals programming, and services, and helps connect folks through volunteer opportunities and peer support groups.
• Qchat – A peer support line and resource database for LGBTQ2S youth in British Columbia, Canada.

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  Previous Notable Days

  • Black History Month 2022 (pdf)
  • International Women's Day 2022 (pdf)
  • Earth Day 2022 (pdf)