Where to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day in Winnipeg

The heritage, culture and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people are being honoured across the country Thursday.

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day and events are happening all around Canada, including in Winnipeg.

• The University of Manitoba Bannatyne Campus has a day’s worth of ceremonies and performances, beginning at 7:30 a.m, including a pipe ceremony, Anishinaabe cardio, and a feast.
• The Manitoba Children’s Museum will hold events from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., including hoop dancing and drumming workshops.
• The Canadian Museum for Human Rights hosts a summer solstice concert beginning at 6 p.m., featuring artists Indian City, Kinnie Starr, and Scott Nolan.

The celebrations continue into the weekend with an Indigenous Day Live event at the Forks on Saturday.

Winnipeg, Toronto, and Ottawa are all hosting similar events and at 12:30 p.m., all three events will participate in a simultaneous round dance. A concert, headlined by Canadian band Walk Off The Earth, will begin at 7:30 p.m.

READ MORE: Hundreds gather for Canada’s largest round dance

Changing the name

The federal government proclaimed this a national day back in 1996. It had always been known as National Aboriginal Day, but last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced it would now be known as National Indigenous Peoples Day, a term which better describes the population.

Saskatchewan MP Georgina Jolibois has introduced a bill in the House of Commons looking to make the day a national statutory holiday.

WATCH: National Aboriginal Day brings name changes, calls for statutory holiday

Prime Minister Trudeau said Wednesday they are looking very closely at this and consulting with indigenous communities on this topic.