Celebrating Indigenous Brilliance: A Summer Invitation to Explore & Reflect

June marked Indigenous Peoples History Month, a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, and resilience of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It’s also when the Virtual Cultural Safety Talking Circles – a series held for healthcare teams across the Kootenay Boundary region – wrapped up for the season.

Each month, virtual Talking Circles offer primary care teams a safe, guided space to reflect on cultural safety and humility in healthcare. Hosted by the COINS Aboriginal Wellness Team and Elder, each session explores a theme through sharing, learning, and discussion—supporting Aboriginal-specific best practices and reflection on how we show up in care.

The final session of the 2024/25 season focused on a joyful and expansive theme: a celebration of Indigenous brilliance. Facilitators Christy Anderson and Alicia Pace invited participants to explore the many ways Indigenous Peoples are shaping art, science, health, activism, tourism, food, music, and more.

As part of the session, the group explored a 🌻 Summer Inspiration List – a vibrant mix of Indigenous-led creativity, storytelling, and experiences to discover throughout the summer >> We’re excited to share it with the wider community.

The invitation is simple: Choose a topic that interests you – and explore what Indigenous Peoples are doing in that space.

Whether you’re drawn to music, wellness, film, food, or land-based travel, there are vibrant stories, innovations, and voices to discover.

However you spend your summer, may it include moments that deepen your understanding, spark your curiosity, and honour the brilliance of Indigenous Peoples – here in Kootenay Boundary, the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Sinixt, Syilx, Ktunaxa, and Secwépemc First Nations, and home to the Métis and many diverse Aboriginal communities – and beyond.