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Celebrate Indigenous stories and experiences with CBC all month long

Join CBC in commemorating the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of Indigenous Peoples.

NIHM | June 1 - 30

CBC Communications ·
National Indigenous History Month

June is National Indigenous History Month, a time to celebrate and commemorate the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of Indigenous Peoples from coast to coast to coast.

As the sun rises on June 21, it marks the arrival of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and the beginning of National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day of celebration honours the heritage, resilience, and contributions of Indigenous People across Turtle Island. Join CBC to explore all of the award-winning storytelling, music, literature and events celebrating First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

CBC British Columbia Podcasts 

BC Indigenous Podcasts

From journeys of self-discovery to uncovering land theft in Canada, CBC British Columbia has an array of Indigenous podcasts that you can listen to during National Indigenous History Month and beyond. 

THE URBARIGINAL: Torn between two worlds and turned away from his community and culture, Tsimshian author and entertainer Rudy Kelly embarks on a journey to uncover who his father really was and, along the way, discover more about himself. Listen here. 

LAND BACK: From Gitanmaax to Sen̓áḵw to Unist'ot'en, and from blockades to court battles and government negotiations, Gitxsan investigative journalist Angela Sterritt looks at the ways Indigenous people are pushing against colonial institutions to take their land back. Listen here. 

PIECES:  Join 19-year-old Jeremy Ratt on a journey of self-discovery as he seeks to understand his roots and all of the distinct "pieces" that form who he is today. Listen here.


A row of glass-like trophies (shaped like a flame) glimmer in purple, orange and pink hues against a black background. To the left are the words Indspire awards - Celebrating Indigenouse Excellence in white text.

Indspire Awards - June 21 at 7 p.m. on CBC TV and CBC Gem
Twelve outstanding Indigenous achievers from a diverse list of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities will be celebrated during the broadcast of the 2024 Indspire Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements from Indigenous peoples across the country in a variety of fields, including: the arts; business and commerce; culture, heritage and spirituality; education; health; language; law and justice; public service; and lifetime achievement. Three Youth Award winners are also honoured for their accomplishments, serving as role models to other First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth across Turtle Island. Learn more about this year's recipients here.
 

A woman with dark breaded hair, wearing beaded earrings and black jacket and grey and black t-shirt against a background of an Indigenous design of bright red against a deep red. The word "Unreserved" is in white text next to the woman.
UNRESERVED 10th Anniversary Special - Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m. on CBC Radio and CBC Listen
A live taping of Unreserved celebrates a decade of learning and unlearning with host Rosanna Deerchild. Laughter is our medicine and we've had plenty of it over the last 10 years. Humour has helped us celebrate the good stuff and get through the hard stuff together. As we explore the art of a good laugh, some of our favourite storytellers will drop in, sit on our talk show couch and share how they elevate and celebrate Indigenous communities and our stories. The show includes comedy by Sherry McKay, music by Douzie and the return of Unreserved's Aunties Circle featuring Vida Lamour, Sonya Ballantyne and Shelagh Rogers.
 
Two young girls with brown hair (heads close together). Below them are two feathers. There is an old photograph of a family below their image. Against a salmon, orange and mauve sky. The words, Cafe Daughter, are in white to the left of the girls' image.
CAFÉ DAUGHTER - Friday, June 28 on CBC Gem, and at 8 p.m. local on CBC TV Based on the Kenneth T. Williams play, Café Daughter is a coming-of-age story about a young Chinese-Cree girl in Saskatchewan who begins to embrace her Cree identity after a family tragedy.

A senior woman with grey hair wearing a dress sits with a coup of tea on her lap. Her photo is in black and white against a black background of blue wavy lines. Next to her is the word FIRST. The F is in red, the I is in orange, the R is in yellow, the S is in light green and the T and a period . are in teal blue.
Throughout  June, CBC Indigenous presents cross-platform project F I R S T., highlighting the accomplishments of First Nations, Inuit and Métis trailblazers in law, medicine, science, sports - and beyond. Featured stories include Shirley Williams, the first Indigenous woman in Canada to reach full professor status via traditional knowledge, and Shaaw Tláa, a Tlingit woman who had a pivotal role in starting the Klondike Gold Rush. CBC Indigenous is publishing 12 stories throughout the month on cbc.ca/indigenous and across CBC platforms.

A woman wearing sunglasses smiles at the camera. She is wearing an orange shirt with the words 'Every Child Matters.'
Phyllis Webstad is the founder of Orange Shirt Day and has written several books for children and young people. (Medicine Wheel Publishing)
CBC Books recommends 29 must-read books for children and teens by Indigenous writers, curated by Phyllis Webstad, the creator of Orange Shirt Day and author of several bestselling books: "I chose books that bring about conversation of what happened to us as Indigenous People and ones that bring hope for a better future."
 
An image promoting the Indigenous Collection on CBC Gem: A young girl with dark hair stands against a blue sky with crows flying by. She is wearing a white shirt and black sweater. There are three other poster titles in squares in a row: The first is a young person running with the words: "A Storm Blows Over' in black against yellow. The second is a man stand silhouetted against a lake with the words: Spirit of a Nation and the thrid is a group of people standing together against a blue background.With the title Mary Two Axe Earley in red text.
 Indigenous Stories Collection - Watch Free on CBC Gem 
CBC Gem's Indigenous Stories Collection features a variety of series, documentaries and feature films, including the Canadian premiere of documentary Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha, the inspiring story of five-time Olympic medalist Duke Kahanamoku, narrated by Jason Momoa; lifestyle series Bears' Lair, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to aspiring Indigenous business owners; and feature A Storm Blows Over following a young woman on a mysterious journey after the disappearance of her boyfriend, plus three short documentaries made through the NSI IndigiDocs training program: Athegus, Living Weaving and pî-kiwîk (come home).
 


Photos courtesy of CBC

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