Dilico Youth Council to connect with Indigenous youth during the month of September
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Dilico Anishinabek Family Care’s Dilico Youth Council is holding a Celebrating Us Virtual Youth Gathering for youth 12-years-old and older featuring four evenings of events led by Turtle Concepts during September. The Celebrating Meme event is scheduled on Sept. 9 from 7-9 p.m., the Celebrating Heart to Art event is scheduled on Sept. 16 from 7-9 p.m., the Celebrating Marching to the Beat of Your Own Drum … And Making One event is scheduled on Sept. 23 from 7-9 p.m., and the Celebration Lounge event is scheduled on Sept. 30 from 7-9 p.m.
“Over 300 youth signed up across the district,” says Kristian Bouchard, Dilico Youth Council member and Pays Plat citizen. “The Youth Council wanted to bring something positive for other Indigenous youth, a chance to connect with new youth, especially after all the isolation it was much needed.”
Bouchard says the Celebrating Meme event is about the youth matching memes together with each other.
“They just want to have fun and have laughter together, to connect with each other and to bring something positive to everyone,” Bouchard says. “It’s kind of a way some people have been coping through the COVID-19 isolation and we find that would be a really great fun way to bring everyone together.”
Bouchard says the Celebrating Heart to Art event is about painting a canvas designed by Indigenous artist Kevin Belmore.
“We’ll be able to paint them all together at once,” Bouchard says. “There’s a lot of times where youth think they can’t do this, but you can and this is a really great way to show them and encourage them.”
Bouchard says the Celebrating Marching to the Beat of Your Own Drum … And Making One event is about learning from Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Elder Beatrice Twance-Hynes how to make a hand drum.
“That one’s going to be really exciting,” Bouchard says. “It’s full already, we have 100-plus kids signed up for that one. Not everyone gets a chance to make a hand drum themselves, so they’re really excited for that one.”
Bouchard says the Celebration Lounge event is an opportunity for the youth to get together for a virtual PJ party with lounge pants being sent to each of the participants.
“The Celebration Lounge is really exciting,” Bouchard says. “We’ll have Turtle Concepts there, we’ll have snacks to enjoy and get a chance to socialize and we’ll connect with each other. I think it’s really important for new youth to connect with each other as well, especially during the isolation. People haven’t had a chance to meet new people, and this is their chance.”
Bouchard says the Dilico Youth Council is also holding a contest for the youth to submit a video clip of anything where they celebrate themselves being Indigenous, such as beading, music, being out on the land, drumming or dancing.
“It’s open until Sept. 8 for youth to win two tickets to Wake the Giant Music Festival,” Bouchard says.
Bouchard says the Dilico Youth Council, which is made up of 13 youth from the 13 Dilico communities, began organizing the gathering as an in-person event before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The Dilico communities include Fort William, Red Rock Indian Band, Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, Long Lake #58, Pays Plat, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg (Pic Mobert), and Michipicoten.
“I think it’s just really important that all of our youth, not only in Thunder Bay but in the district, have a chance to connect with their culture and themselves in some sort of way,” Bouchard says.