CBC Marks National Indigenous Peoples Day & National Indigenous History Month

As part of CBC’s ongoing commitment to reflect Indigenous communities across Canada, the national public broadcaster is recognizing National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day with original and special programming that showcases First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives and experiences.

National Indigenous History Month honours the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across the country. It is also an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the strength of Indigenous communities by sharing present-day stories from an Indigenous point of view, told by Indigenous-led creative teams. CBC aims to foreground diverse Indigenous voices year-round, offering national audiences authentic and engaging storytelling that can’t be found anywhere else, and nurturing new Indigenous creators and aspiring journalists through development programs that offer participants valuable hands-on experience and coaching support.

A selection of CBC’s broad range of programming available on broadcast, streaming, audio and digital platforms in June and beyond is highlighted below:

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY – Saturday, June 21 

CBC TV and CBC Gem will broadcast and stream a selection of Indigenous-led documentaries, films and series throughout the day and late night on Saturday, June 21, including the following titles:

• Begins streaming June 21 on CBC Gem and CBC Indigenous’ YouTube channel. Also available on CBC News streaming channels June 21 and 22.

RESONATE: SONGS OF RESILIENCE (52 minutes)

CBC Indigenous takes you into Indigenous country to hear songs of roots and resistance. Watch the one-hour special, RESONATE: SONGS OF RESILIENCE, celebrating communities and families through music, while sharing personal stories and experiences.

• 7 p.m. (8 AT, 8:30 NT) on CBC TV and CBC Gem

2025 INDSPIRE AWARDS 

Twelve outstanding Indigenous achievers from a diverse list of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities will be celebrated during the broadcast of the 2025 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; law and justice; public service; sports; 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.  The Indspire Awards represent the highest honour the Indigenous community bestows upon its own people. After 31 years, the Indspire Awards have honoured over 400 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievement across Turtle Island and beyond. Learn more about the 2025 recipients.

• 8 p.m. (9 AT, 9:30 NT) on CBC TV (streaming now on CBC Gem)

SEARCHING FOR WINNETOU (directed by Drew Hayden Taylor, written by Paul Kemp)

SEARCHING FOR WINNETOU looks at the fine line between appreciation and appropriation of Indigenous traditions. The documentary follows Ojibway author and humourist Drew Hayden Taylor as he travels to Germany to investigate this phenomenon and its lasting impact.

• 9 p.m. (10 AT, 10:30 NT) on CBC TV (streaming now on CBC Gem)

BEANS (directed by Tracey Deer, written by Tracey Deer and Meredith Vuchnich)

Drawing from her own experiences as a child, Tracey Deer provides a poignant and engaging chronicle of real-life events that shook the nation. BEANS takes place at the height of the 1990 Mohawk Resistance at Kanehsatà:ke (also known as the Oka Crisis), a 78-day standoff between Indigenous land defenders, Quebec police, the RCMP, and the Canadian military, over the proposed expansion of a golf course on to a Mohawk burial ground. Twelve-year-old Tekehentahkhwa (nicknamed Beans) grapples with her anger over the treatment of her people. The CBC Films-supported film won Best Motion Picture and the John Dunning Best First Feature Film at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards.

AVAILABLE IN JUNE ON CBC PLATFORMS

• UNRESERVED (New episodes available every Friday everywhere podcasts are available, and airing Sundays at 2 p.m. (2:30 NT) and Tuesdays at 1 p.m. (1:30 NT) on CBC Radio and CBC Listen) In a special episode dropping June 20, host Rosanna Deerchild speaks with the drum dance group Kilautiup Songuninga based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

UNRESERVED is Canada’s only national radio program dedicated to Indigenous voices. Deerchild guides listeners to learn, unlearn, and laugh together on a path to better understanding through new weekly episodes, and ongoing series: Sacred Seven explores the teachings of Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, and community members putting those words into action, while Unmapped is a travel series that shines a light on the Indigenous presence in some of the most iconic destinations around the world. Visit cbc.ca/unreserved for more information or catch up on CBC Listen.

• SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS (88min, directed by Neil Diamond) *a documentary Channel original* Now streaming on CBC Gem and the CBC Docs You Tube channel

SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS is a feature documentary that traces the storied journey of Indigenous masks from the far reaches of Turtle Island (North America) into the hands of European Surrealists, influencing the work and worldview of some of the most well-known modern artists and writers of all time including Max Ernst, André Breton, Roberto Matta and Joan Miró – all while following the dramatic quest to return a mask that was brutally stolen from the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw people on Canada’s northwest coast over a century ago. Part caper, part road trip, part spiritual journey, SO SURREAL: BEHIND THE MASKS follows Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond (Reel Injun, Red Fever) as he travels coast-to-coast and across the Atlantic and back, gradually piecing together this groundbreaking global story of influence, reconnection and restitution.

• CBC Gem’s INDIGENOUS STORIES COLLECTION features a variety of series, documentaries and feature films including a short doc celebrating a special graduation season for a James Smith First Nation family, GRADUATION DAY; an Ininimowin-language version of Tanya Talaga’s docuseries, THE KNOWING; documentaries AITAMAAKO’TAMISSKAPI NATOSI: BEFORE THE SUN, following the thrilling Indian Relay horse race, and BRING THEM HOME / AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA, narrated by Academy Award® nominee Lily Gladstone and chronicling a decades-long initiative to bring wild buffalo back to the Blackfeet Reservation; Season 2 of competition series BEARS’ LAIR, as 18 Indigenous entrepreneurs pitch their business plans; DELTA DAWN, the winner of the Hot Docs Best Canadian Short Documentary Award about Indigenous wrestling sensation Dawn Murphy; Season 2 of crime drama TRIBAL; and feature film ROSIE, a cross-cultural family drama.
• Also streaming now on CBC Gem, Indigenous-themed documentaries from the ABSOLUTELY CANADIAN documentary series showcase powerful locally produced films from communities across Canada. TEA CREEK explores the rich history of Indigenous agriculture and the ongoing impacts of colonization; THE DEATH TOUR follows wrestling hopefuls pursuing their dreams through remote Indigenous communities in Canada’s far North; NORTHLORE elevates extraordinary true stories of survival on the land through animation; GIIWE:RETURNING HOME is the filmmaker’s journey to reconnect to his traditions and culture; and THE FORGOTTEN WARRIORS follows the true story of Mi’kmaq activists who went on a hunger strike to secure their rights to self-determination.
• CBC Kids showcases award-winning programs on CBC Gem, such as ANAANA’S TENT in both English and Inuktitut, TEEPEE TIME in English and Mi’kmaq, and MOLLY OF DENALI. For more National Indigenous History Month with CBC Kids programming, visit the CBC Kids section on CBC Gem.
• How do you say “fox” in Cree? Or “wolf” in Inuktitut? How about “moose” in Ojibwe/Anishinaabemowin? The new CBC Kids Indigenous Language playlist on YouTube teaches animal words in three languages.
• CBC Kids News visits Ulukhaktok, N.W.T. for a multipart series with digital stories and videos that showcase the community and their traditional practices. Available on CBCKidsNews.ca and the CBC Kids News YouTube channel.
• CBC Books offers recommended reading lists curated by Indigenous writers David A. Robertson, Monique Gray Smith and more.
• On CBC Radio, CBC Books will feature Indigenous writers across all programs including BOOKENDS WITH MATTEA ROACH in conversation with David A. Robertson about his book 52 Ways to Reconcile (now streaming) and a panel about memoirs featuring Tanya Talaga, author of The Knowing (June 22). THE NEXT CHAPTER discussed Christian Allaire’s memoir, From the Rez to the Runway (now streaming), and shares a Prout Questionnaire from Michelle Good (June 21). Also available on CBC Listen and wherever you get your podcasts.
• CBC Music’s incredible Indigenous Playlists are available to stream on CBC Listen and feature everything from traditional beats to hip hop and electric powwow.
• CBC Music recommends Five Indigenous musicians to know in 2025. These emerging Indigenous artists are carving out spaces for themselves with their music, from soulful singer-songwriters to fiddlers who are embracing folk and country, to experimental rockers.
• Broadcasting June 18 on CBC Music and June 22 on CBC Radio, RECLAIMED with host Jarrett Martineau features Part 3 of National Indigenous History Month, showcasing a special celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day and a Summer Solstice dance party. Catch up on Part 1 and 2 of RECLAIMED’s National Indigenous History Month series on CBC Listen. CBC Music will also feature an Essentials segment on MORNINGS and a Deep Dive segment on DRIVE covering the Halluci Nation (June 20), and CBC Music hosts will be presenting special playlists and interviews with Indigenous artists all week and into June 21 across all shows.
• Concert series CBC MUSIC LIVE features live recordings of Indigenous artists every week in June. Recorded at the Tkaronto Festival, Blue Moon Marquee, Sebastian Gaskin and Kaeley Jade are now available to stream on CBC Gem. Aysanabee’s CBC MUSIC LIVE feature debuts on CBC Gem on June 24.
• On June 20, Q WITH TOM POWER will air a career-spanning conversation with actor Tantoo Cardinal, who was recently honoured with the Equity in Entertainment Award at The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada event.
• On June 19,the group chat on COMMOTION WITH ELAMIN ABDELMAHMOUD will feature Indigenous panelists talking about the future of AI in Indigenous music, culture and storytelling. On June 20, the Indigenous panelists will cover Aysanabee’s new album, and other big pop culture stories of the week.
• MAAMUITAAU is a weekly Cree language current affairs program with English subtitles on CBC Gem, CBC North and CBC Montreal, bringing the stories of the James Bay Crees to life. In English, MAAMUITAAU means “let’s get together,” which reflects the spirit of the show. The long-running series from CBC North’s Cree Unit covers a broad range of topics including social and political issues, environmental changes, and traditional subjects such as hunting and crafts. Observational, engaging, and at times poetic, the show transports you to Quebec’s North and to the heart of Cree culture.

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CBC Indigenous drives coverage of and for First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and their communities led by a team of Indigenous journalists across the country. They deliver critical, creative and diverse journalism to their audience when and where they need it. CBC North’s Cree unit includes the award-winning East Cree-language radio shows Winschgaoug and Eyou Dipajimoon, which broadcast daily Monday to Friday on CBC Radio and CBC Listen. CBC North further broadens Canadians’ understanding of Indigenous experiences across the country with content available in six Indigenous languages.

Since 2014, CJF-CBC Indigenous Journalism Fellowships have been offered annually to early-career Indigenous journalists to foster better comprehension of Indigenous issues in Canada’s major media and community outlets. This year, the CJF has strategically reimagined its Indigenous Fellowship program, transitioning from a one-month experience to an immersive four-month placement for a single fellow, to provide deeper, more meaningful professional development opportunities that allow Indigenous journalists to fully integrate into newsroom operations and develop richer, more impactful stories.

The CBC-APTN Early Stage Scripted Development Program for Indigenous Creators in association with the ISO is returning for a fourth year, offering a unique opportunity for two emerging creators with projects still in the pre-development phase to work closely with CBC and APTN executives to help move their projects into development and ultimately into the production phase. Further details will be announced soon.

CBC Indigenous Pathways is also back for its fourth year. Pathways is a paid, full-time, nine-month learning and development opportunity for First Nations, Inuit and Métis seeking to develop careers with the public broadcaster. Candidates hone their skills as part of an Indigenous peer cohort, while receiving culturally relevant programming, as well as mentorship and development opportunities across the country. Applications open in July for the program, which runs from October to June.

Launched in February 2024, the National Indigenous Strategy Strengthening Relations, Walking Together is CBC/Radio-Canada’s collective commitment to examine our content and relationships with Indigenous Peoples, honestly and truthfully. Earlier today, CBC/Radio-Canada released a 2024-2025 progress report.