Residents of Guelph got a special treat as part of Indigenous Peoples Day.
Riverside Park was lively with entertainment Tuesday night, everything from drumming to singing and dancing.
"This is wonderful, that we can finally gather as a community," Jennifer Parkinson, president of the Grand River Metis Council, told the gathered crowd.
Adrian Harjo, who hails from the Kikapoo and Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, hosted about an hour of the festivities, taking people on a journey through First Nations history from across North America.
A number of performers stepped in for various dances, finished off with a hoop dance performed by Harjo's son Ascension, who won a world championship in hoop dancing in 2018.
Ascension is from the Mohawk Nation on the Six Nations Reserve.
After his performance, the six hoops formed a sphere in front of the crowd and Adrian shared a message.
"Each and every hoop represents a different person, it represents a different nationality, a different country of the world, possibly even a different person at your office, how they all come together and form that unity," he said.
"I was always taught that unity takes everyone, especially in this day and age and everything that's going on. Wouldn't it be great if we can put our stuff aside as human beings, and start celebrating our differences, and go together into the future."
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, and Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie read the land acknowledgement beforehand.
"I really hope this turns into a growing day of celebration, and also reflection on this day," Guthrie said. "For not only yourselves, but many others in the city that can contribute and come to be more made aware of what's been happening in our city, and around Canada, when it comes to Indigenous peoples."
