Letter from Chief Ron Sam, Songhees Nation Re: Sponsorship Opportunities for the 2023 South Island Powwow

Re: Sponsorship Opportunities for the 2023 South Island Powwow on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

In 2021, the federal government designated September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (formerly known as Orange Shirt Day) in response to one of the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 2015 Final Report.

Songhees Nation will be hosting the second annual South Island Powwow on September 30th, 2023 to honour Survivors of Indian Residential Schools, Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the children who never made it home from these institutions. We are working with the City of Victoria and other community partners to host a traditional Powwow and celebration to commemorate this day and gather as community on the homelands of the lək̓ʷəŋən people at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, BC. In unity and partnership, we invite you to join us on this day in honour of Indigenous resiliency.

We are seeking contributions for costs associated with this event. The inaugural South Island Powwow held on September 30, 2022 brought crowds of 10,000 people at its height during the grand entry and we anticipate similar, if not higher, attendance at this year’s Powwow. If you are interested in supporting our event with financial sponsorship, in-kind donations, and/or volunteering, please review the attached South Island Powwow Sponsorship Package or visit our website at https://www.songheesnation.ca/south-island-powwow.

For further information, please connect with Samantha Dean, Communications Coordinator, by phone at (250) 386-1043 ext. 210 or by email at nationevents@songheesnation.com.

On behalf of Songhees Nation and the South Island Powwow Committee, hayšxʷq̓ə (thank you) for your consideration, and we look forward to seeing you at the Powwow!

Sincerely,

Chief Ron Sam Songhees Nation