First Nations Culture
MISKÂSOWIN
Finding one’s sense of origin and belonging.
A fundamental goal of SIGA is to bring about this value in a positive way by instilling a sense of pride in ourselves and our province’s First Nations’ heritage.
SIGA represents all 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, serving communities across Treaty 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 territories. This includes diverse nations such as Cree, Dene, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and Saulteaux peoples. As a collective voice for First Nations gaming and economic development, SIGA ensures its benefits reach First Nations communities throughout the province. Through our operations, we honor and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of all 74 First Nations, preserving and sharing traditional knowledge and customs.
SIGA Sponsored Powwows
- FSIN Spirit of Our Nations Cultural Celebration and Powwow (Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations) – $100,000
- First Nations University of Canada Annual Spring Celebration Powwow (First Nations University of Canada) – $50,000
- STC Every Child Matters Pow Wow (Saskatoon Tribal Council)
- Bear Claw Casino & Hotel & White Bear First Nations Pow-wow 2025 (White Bear First Nations)
- Traditional Powwow in Honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day (Western Development Museum)
- 8th Annual Powwow (Ranch Ehrlo Society)
- PVSD Grad Powwow & Giveaway (Prairie Valley School Division)
- Mamowintowin Powwow (Prairie Spirit School Division)
- Pleasant Hill Community Powwow (Pleasant Hill Community Association)
- Oskayak Community Powwow (Oskayak High School)
- Sweetgrass Traditional Powwow (Sweetgrass First Nation)
- Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation Pow Wow (Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation)
- 2025 WDN Powwow (Whitecap Dakota Nation)
- Sturgeon Lake First Nation Competition Powwow (Sturgeon Lake First Nation)
- Thunderchild’s 56th Annual Powwow (Thunderchild First Nation)
- Muskoday First Nation Traditional Pow Wow (Muskoday First Nation)
Reconciliation Education
SIGA supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action to help First Nations and non-First Nations communities thrive together.
Call to Action #92 calls upon the corporate sector to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and apply its principles to their work with Indigenous Peoples and lands.
As a First Nation-owned organization, reconciliation is central to our mission. We work to improve lives for First Nation members through economic development and opportunities, while preserving and celebrating First Nation culture partially through events that we celebrate and honour annually.
Monthly Orange Shirt Days & National Day for Truth & Reconciliation
SIGA realizes that reconciliation is more than one day a year (observing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30) and needs to be actively worked towards by every person and organization year-round.
As part of our commitment to the 94 Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, and to remember and honour residential school survivors and their families, SIGA observes the last Tuesday of each month as Orange Shirt Day for employees at all sites.
SIGA holds an annual Orange T-Shirt Design Contest for staff to participate in. The contest allows staff from each site to be involved in something that has affected us directly or indirectly, and create awareness. The staff member whose design receives the most votes from the rest of the staff has their design featured on our orange shirts which are distributed to all employees.
The 2025 winner of our Orange T-Shirt Design Contest was Mercedes Lacerte. Below is her design and a description of her art piece.
Having children of my own is why I added the footprints, I couldn’t imagine not watching over them. The thought alone makes me cry, not being able to watch where their steps lead them without me guiding them. The handprint is used as symbol of remembrance and solidarity. I added the little girl in the regalia with long free flowing hair and a feather straight up, as it should have been.
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People MMIWG2S (Red Dress Day)
Red Dress Day honours and brings awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have been subject to disproportionate violence in Canada. SIGA Casinos and Central Office sets up educational displays on May 5 for staff and guest awareness and education.
Staff are also encouraged to wear red that day and to participate in walks and other planned activities to show support for the Day.
National Indigenous History Month in June and National Indigenous Peoples Day
June is designated as National Indigenous History Month. The month was first designated by the House of Commons in 2009. It’s described by the Government of Canada as “a time to honour the stories, achievements and resilience of Indigenous Peoples.”
SIGA observes National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 as a statutory holiday. We encouraged employees over the month of June and on that day to participate in activities and events being held throughout the province that celebrate and recognize First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures.
Moose Hide Campaign
The Moose Hide Campaign began as a BC-born Indigenous-led grassroots movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children. It has since grown into a nationwide movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians from local communities.
A cornerstone of the Moose Hide Campaign is the moose hide pin. Wearing the pin signifies your commitment to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in your life and speak out against gender-based and domestic violence.
SIGA Corporate Relations distributed communications awareness and moose hide pins to all employees and encouraged each site to educate their staff on the day and take a staff photo with their employees wearing the moose hide pins in a show of support.
National Ribbon Skirt Day
Every year, National Ribbon Skirt Day on January 4th provides an opportunity for everyone in Canada to recognize, learn about, and celebrate the importance of Indigenous traditions and expressions of culture.
SIGA employees are encouraged to celebrate and honour ribbon skirt day every year by wearing their ribbon skirts and shirts to work.
The Ribbon Skirt is one such tradition. Ribbon skirts are an expression of Indigenous culture marked by arrays of designs, colours and patterns. They are often worn at ceremonies or special events by women or gender-diverse people. Traditionally, ribbon skirts are worn in ceremonies or at special events and are representative of a person’s unique diversity and strength.
Women, girls, and gender diverse people also wear them to express pride and confidence in their Indigenous identity and heritage.
The first official National Ribbon Skirt Day became a reality, honouring a young Saskatchewan girl, after she was shamed for wearing her ribbon skirt to school.
Rock Your Mocs
SIGA encourages all Back of House Casino & Central Office employees to participate in “Rock Your Mocs” by wearing their favourite moccasin November 15 every year to celebrate Indigenous culture and pride.
Every November, Indigenous Peoples across the world don their moccasins as part of an annual virtual unity event to coincide with National Native American Heritage Month in the United States.
The word moccasin loosely translates to “footwear” in various Algonquian languages, such as Plains Ojibwe (makisin or makizinan), Siksika (niitsitsikin) and Plains Cree (maskisin). A type of shoe, boot or slipper, Indigenous peoples historically made moccasins out of animal skins, for example, caribou, deer, moose, elk and bison.
Reconciliation Education
SIGA supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action to help Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities thrive together.
Call to Action #92 calls upon the corporate sector to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and apply its principles to their work with Indigenous peoples and lands.
As a First Nation-owned organization, reconciliation is central to our mission. We work to improve lives for First Nation members through economic development and opportunities, while preserving and celebrating First Nation culture partially through events that we celebrate and honour annually.
June is designated as National Indigenous History Month. It’s described by the Government of Canada as “a time to honour the stories, achievements and resilience of Indigenous Peoples.”
The Moose Hide Campaign began as a BC-born Indigenous-led grassroots movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children. It has since grown into a nationwide movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians from local communities.
For over 25 years, SIGA has maintained a longstanding partnership with the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization, hosting “SIGA Rider Game Day,” known as the kisiskâciwan game in recent years.
Every year, National Ribbon Skirt Day provides an opportunity for everyone in Canada to recognize, learn about, and celebrate the importance of Indigenous traditions and expressions of culture.
