The thunderous drumming celebrated Canada Day – the 8th Annual National Drumming Festival was held in Elk Point, Alberta.

On July 1, 2024, Canada Day, the 8th Annual National Drumming Celebration was held in Elk Point, a town in Alberta with a large Indigenous population. Amidst the resounding drumbeats and joyful songs, community members from diverse ethnicities and backgrounds gathered to celebrate this festival of cultural integration, peace, and unity.

The Canadian Drumming Festival is a nationwide, synchronized celebration, with six regions on both the East and West coasts drumming simultaneously at noon in their respective time zones. This year, in Elk Point in the West, Michael Yong, president of the Honda Centre for Sports and Culture, spearheaded the event, distributing 900 small rattles to the audience in advance. After volunteers distributed the drums, Michael personally took to the stage, patiently guiding the audience in practicing the rhythm and teaching them to drum along in a highly engaging way. His enthusiasm and patience quickly ignited the atmosphere. At noon, the entire crowd drummed to the rhythm, the small drums resounding in unison, creating a beautiful and harmonious melody that lasted for six minutes. Even after the drumming stopped, the lingering sound echoed through the venue, accompanied by thunderous applause. The synchronized drumming ceremony for the eighth annual Canadian Drumming Festival was successfully completed.

Even more surprisingly, the Elk Point government specially invited the local garrison to send two training aircraft to fly over the venue at noon to perform a low-altitude formation flight demonstration, adding a shocking and solemn atmosphere to the drumming event and winning cheers from the audience.

On that day, Dr. Donad YU Chung-Fu, President of the Edmonton Chapter of the Chinese Canadian Association, led nearly 200 people, including board members Ms. Feng Huang Shaofen and Mr. Cao Wenjun, as well as several Chinese community groups, to drive nearly 200 kilometers east to the venue, demonstrating the Chinese community’s active participation and support for multicultural integration.

The celebration solemnly began with a flag-raising ceremony by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The officers, dressed in their dignified red uniforms, were accompanied by a heartfelt rendition of the Canadian national anthem by renowned Indigenous singer Rhonda Jackson—an artist who has performed for Pope Francis—bringing the atmosphere to its first climax.

The City of Elk Point attached great importance to this event, with Mayor Parrish Tung and all city councilors in attendance. In his opening remarks, Mayor Tung warmly welcomed guests from all ethnic backgrounds and stated that the Drumming Festival has become an important platform for connecting different cultures and enhancing inter-ethnic understanding and inclusion. Dr. Yu Zhongfu, representing the Chinese community, delivered a speech calling on all ethnic groups to work together to build a harmonious Canada, which received a long and enthusiastic applause from the audience.

The celebration was a spectacular event. Chinese community groups from Edmonton performed a variety of programs showcasing Chinese culture, including dragon and lion dances, Tai Chi, and choral singing, which won enthusiastic applause and cheers from the Indigenous audience. Indigenous groups also presented traditional drumming and dances, their rhythms energetic and powerful. Through this interaction, both sides respected each other, fostering cultural exchange and creating a harmonious scene of shared ethnic prosperity and joyful celebration.

In addition, the event featured a variety of exhibition areas, including a local farmers market, a children’s playground, and a small animal exhibit, attracting many families and making it a carnival-style National Day celebration suitable for all ages.

The event also attracted representatives from the political and academic communities. Provincial MLA Scott Cyr (Bonnyville–Cold Lake–St. Paul) was present to extend his greetings, and Dr. Paul Gareau, a leading scholar in the field of Indigenous studies and Associate Dean of the Indigenous Studies Department at the University of Alberta, also participated, fully demonstrating the wide influence of this festival across political, academic, and cultural circles.

The Drumming Festival originates from the Indigenous tradition in Canada that “drumming calls for peace,” and in recent years it has gradually developed into an important cross-cultural and cross-ethnic festival. This event not only promoted local culture but also deepened the understanding and friendship between Indigenous and Chinese communities, contributing valuable strength to building a diverse and inclusive Canadian society.

鼓声震天 共庆国庆 —— 第八届加拿大全国击鼓节在阿省Elk Point小镇隆重举行

2024年7月1日，加拿大国庆当天，第八届加拿大击鼓活动（8th Annual National Drumming Celebration）在阿尔伯塔省原住民聚居小镇——Elk Point隆重举行。鼓声阵阵，欢歌笑语，来自不同族裔、不同背景的社区成员齐聚一堂，共同庆祝这一融合文化、和平与团结的节日。

加拿大击鼓节是一个全国同步的庆典活动，东西两岸六个地区在各自时区的中午12点整同步击鼓。今年在西部的Elk Point，由宏德体育及文化中心（Honder Centre for Sports and Culture）会长Michael Yong率先组织，提前向观众派发了900个小摇鼓。义工们分发鼓具后，Michael亲自登台，耐心引导观众练习节奏，并用极富感染力的方式教授大家跟随他击鼓。他的热情和耐心很快点燃了现场气氛。中午12时一到，全场民众随节奏鼓动，小鼓齐鸣，鼓声汇成一首美丽和谐的乐章，持续6分钟。鼓声停歇之时，现场依然余音绕梁，掌声雷动，众人意犹未尽，成功完成全国第八届击鼓节的同步击鼓仪式。

更令人惊喜的是，Elk Point政府还特别约请了当地驻军，在正午十二点派遣两架教练机飞越会场上空，进行低空编队飞行表演，为击鼓活动增添了震撼与庄严的氛围，博得现场阵阵欢呼。

当天，来自埃德蒙顿的加拿大华人联会爱城分会主席虞仲孚博士率理事冯黄少芬女士、曹文俊先生，以及多个华人社团近二百人，驱车东行近二百公里赶赴会场，展现出华人社区对多元文化融合的积极参与与支持。

庆典在加拿大皇家骑警举行的升旗仪式中庄严开启。身着红色制服的骑警威严肃穆，加拿大著名原住民女歌手Rhonda Jackson——曾为教皇方济各演唱的艺术家，现场深情领唱加拿大国歌，将全场气氛推向第一个高潮。

Elk Point市政府对此次活动高度重视，市长Parrish Tung（董志坚）携全体市议员出席。董市长在开幕式上发表讲话，热情欢迎远道而来的各族来宾，并表示击鼓节已成为连接不同文化、增进族群理解与包容的重要平台。虞仲孚博士代表华人社区致辞，呼吁各族人民携手共建和谐加拿大，获得现场观众长时间热烈掌声。

庆典现场精彩纷呈。来自爱城的华人社团表演了舞龙、舞狮、太极、合唱等具有中华文化特色的节目，赢得了原住民观众的热烈掌声与欢呼。而原住民社团也献上传统击鼓与舞蹈，节奏激昂，充满力量。双方在互动中彼此尊重，文化交融，形成了一幅族裔共荣、欢乐共庆的和谐画卷。

此外，活动当天还设有丰富多彩的展区，包括本地农贸市场、儿童游乐区和小型动物展览，吸引了大量家庭参与，成为一个老少皆宜的嘉年华式国庆节。

此次活动也吸引了政界与学界的代表出席。省议员Scott Cyr（MLA，Bonnyville–Cold Lake–St. Paul）亲临现场致意，加拿大原住民研究领域的重要学者、阿尔伯塔大学原住民研究学院副院长Dr. Paul Gareau 也莅临参与，充分体现出此节日在政学文化各界的广泛影响力。

击鼓节源于加拿大原住民文化中“鼓声召唤和平”的传统，近年来逐渐发展为跨文化、跨族群的重要节日。此次活动不仅弘扬了本土文化，更加深了原住民与华人社区之间的理解与友谊，为建设一个多元共融的加拿大社会贡献了宝贵力量。