Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, may be celebrating its 150th birthday in 2024, but its history spans thousands of years. Indigenous peoples have inhabited the area for nearly 6,000 years, long before the city’s official incorporation in 1873. Today, Winnipeg is a hub for festivals, museums, and parks and a place deeply rooted in Indigenous history and culture.

Anishinaabe writer and professor Niigaan Sinclair offers a guide to experiencing the Indigenous community in Winnipeg, from ancient ceremonies at The Forks to modern Indigenous cuisine at Feast Café Bistro.

1. Best Place to Experience an Indigenous Celebration: The Forks

The Forks, located at the meeting point of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, have been a significant site for Indigenous people for thousands of years. Today, it is Winnipeg’s most visited attraction, drawing four million visitors annually. Healing ceremonies, powwows, and other celebrations are regularly held at the Oodena Celebration Circle.

Sinclair describes it as “the Indigenous centre of Winnipeg,” where key events like National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation are observed.

Website: www.theforks.com
Address: Forks Market Rd, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4S8
Phone: (204) 927-7874
Instagram: @theforkswinnipeg

2. Best Place to Learn About the Métis Nation: Saint Boniface

The Métis people, who have both First Nations and Euro settler ancestry, hold a prominent place in Canadian history, particularly in Manitoba. Saint Boniface, Winnipeg’s Francophone neighbourhood, is home to the grave of Louis Riel, the famous Métis leader who advocated for Métis rights in the Red River Resistance of 1869-70.

Visiting Riel’s grave at the Saint Boniface Cathedral is a powerful way to connect with Manitoba’s history. “To understand how Manitoba and Winnipeg came to be, you have to know the story of the Métis and Louis Riel,” says Sinclair.

Website: www.tourismeriel.com/en/
Address: 100-219 Provencher Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 0G4
Phone: (866) 808-8338
Instagram: @tourismeriel

3. Best Green Space: The Leaf at Assiniboine Park

The Leaf, a horticultural attraction within the expansive Assiniboine Park, is home to Canada’s tallest indoor waterfall and themed gardens, including the Indigenous Peoples Garden. This garden pays tribute to the importance of water and fire in Indigenous communities, with signage in seven Indigenous languages.

In 2023, Wab Kinew was sworn in as Canada’s first First Nations premier at The Leaf, marking a historic moment for Manitoba.

Website: www.assiniboinepark.ca/leaf/lifegrows
Address: 145 The Leaf Wy., Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N6
Phone: (204) 927-6000
Instagram: @assiniboine_park

4. Best Place to Enjoy Indigenous Cuisine: Feast Café Bistro

Feast Café Bistro is one of Winnipeg’s top destinations for contemporary Indigenous cuisine, offering dishes made with traditional ingredients such as bison, bannock, and wild rice. Chef Christa Bruneau-Guenther, a Métis woman from Peguis First Nation, runs the café and is a prominent supporter of the Indigenous community.

Sinclair recommends trying the wild rice soup or the bison dish of the week, and he praises the restaurant’s bannock pizza.

Website: www.feastcafebistro.com
Address: 587 Ellice Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3B 1Z7
Phone: (204) 691-5979
Instagram: @feastcafebistro

5. Best Festival: Manito Ahbee

For an immersive experience of Indigenous culture, attend the annual Manito Ahbee Festival. Held every May, the festival is named after a sacred site in Manitoba and features a powwow, music, dance, and art. The Manito Ahbee International Pow Wow is one of North America’s largest competitive powwows, celebrating Indigenous dance, music, and regalia.

A hidden gem of the festival is the marketplace, where local Indigenous artisans sell handcrafted items like jewellery, clothing, and artwork.

Website: www.manitoahbee.com
Address: Red River Exhibition Park, 3977 Portage Ave, Winnipeg MB R3K 2E8
Phone: (204) 956-1849
Instagram: @manitoahbee

6. Best Indigenous Arts Exhibit: The REDress Project

Located at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the REDress Project by Métis artist Jaime Black is a haunting tribute to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S+) movement. Red dresses are displayed throughout Winnipeg, symbolizing the lives lost to violence.

This permanent exhibit, alongside other Indigenous displays at the museum, is a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for justice and recognition of Indigenous women and two-spirit people.

Website: www.jaimeblackartist.com/exhibitions/
Address: 85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0L5, Canada
Phone: (877) 877-6037
Instagram: @humanrights.ca