To celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), Holland Bloorview was honoured to welcome a special performance by the Snake Island Drum Group yesterday afternoon. 

For many Indigenous people, the drum holds profound significance both culturally and spiritually. The drum serves not only as a source of music and healing, but also as a sacred instrument fostering a lifelong connection to community and relationship with all creation. 

“It’s the extension and continuation of the heartbeat of our nations as well as our connection and our heartbeat to the universe, especially to our Mother, the Earth,” says Matthew Stevens, member of the Snake Island Drum Group, regarding the significance of the drum. “What I really tried to emphasize today was the sacredness of spirit. When we sound our voice we’re petitioning that spirit – like human memory, it’s like spiritual memory. I was hoping that people that attended today would remember the sacredness of their own lives.”

Before the performance began, Aleshia Johnson, Indigenous health equity and experience specialist, opened up the event with a land acknowledgment and a smudging ceremony. 

“We’ve been making great strides over the last couple of years around our commitment to the recommendations made in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada:  Calls to Action report,” says Lorraine Thomas, manager, inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and anti-racism (IDEAA), Holland Bloorview. “We recently introduced a smudging policy to support our clients, families and employees, for whom smudging is an essential part of Indigenous health care and way of being. We look forward to implementing other ways we can contribute towards improving health outcomes for the families who access our services.” 

Earlier that day, staff were invited to come together to join in on an “Every Child Matters” flag raising ceremony. Many in attendance wore orange shirts as a symbol to honour and acknowledge the experiences of the Indigenous peoples of Canada as well as to hold space for the pain and intergenerational trauma of the residential school system.

To learn more about Holland Bloorview’s commitment to improving health outcomes for Indigenous children and families, please visit our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Anti-Racism (IDEAA) page here.