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Native Solidarity Day brings Indians together y Janet Sinnott Ju ti G "1.1/J 1 1-eXD011tt1or Staff "Y At least 300 native Canadians t a taste of Indian life as a com- munity at -the Native (Onkwe- honwe) Solidarity Day Festival at ·Chiefswood Park on Wednesday. The Assembly of First Nations MK~rcu Jwie 21 as a national holi- day for native Canadians to ac- Jmowledge the achievements of the a..- people in North America, June .. n was chosen because it is the longest day of the year. ~ The day was primarily for na- -tive Canadians, but Dawn Hill, co- :ordinator of First Nations Rights : for Education, had said earlier that : non-native Canadians were wel- • come- to attend the festival. . Although very few , non-natives ,4ttended Ms. Hill felt the day was · successful. · . • "It's going really well," she · said. "Inviting non-natives was a • gesture on our part but the celebra- .. bon is primarily for native Cana- ·a." : :-· The solidarity day festival was ~beld to help teach native people :pout their history and to bring the 'eommunity together. But tbe main ~llSUe and theme this year was edu- :cadon fer natives: : .: After opening ceremony and a • D'. lesson about Indians the day got into full swing with danc ing, a skit and games. Entertaining the crowd were costumed children known as so shoe . dancers, and a hoop dance11 Rusty Thomas. A skit titled Educating Eric, written and performed by two na tives, outlined tfie problems a . frustrations of a mother raising h son in the city, and her consider tion of returning tQ the reserve . One of the writers and actors, Tina Louise Bpmberry, told th audience later that she was prou to have been able to open up an share her own feelings with others. Those who attended the festival said it was worthwhile. "I think it's really good be cause we need to learn more about our: culture and bring Indians gether,,. said Michelle Thomas. "I think it's good to let kids ou of school so they can learn wha being an Indian is about." But some native Canadians, those who do not work on the re- se"e and those who work for the federal government such as the school board may not be able to join in the celebration because em ployers Will not allow the · day o without a loss of pay, reprimand, or dismissal. Linda Staats, a school teache11 on the Six Nations Reserve, took the day off work to join in the Soli· darity Day but says there ar many other teachers who did n~~ for fear of the consequences theYJ may suffer. She believes she will face either. a reprimand or a loss of pay. Bu~ she says she was willing to suffer, the consequences. "It's an important enoug~ cause that I'll stick my neck out," she says. But she says some teacher feared reprimand and stayed a work ratber than rock the boat. "It's a day to unite together. To me, &bat's important. I'm willing suffer the consequences," she says.