Building a foundation

Summer Solstice Run being held in Millbrook

Organizers of a run and walk in Millbrook are inviting people from non-aboriginal communities to celebrate the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, and National Aboriginal Day with a First Nations community.

Chris Googoo, general manager of the Ulnooweg Development Group, a non-profit aboriginal financial institution, is organizing the second annual Ulnooweg Summer Solstice Run in Millbrook on June 24.

“We have been looking at how can we improve ways for aboriginal businesses to work with non-aboriginal business and this is one little way of building a foundation, to get the non-aboriginal population to come into a First Nation community for a healthy, happy activity,” said Googoo. “It is an introduction to culture and our community – this is some of the language we use when we talk about reconciliation.”

The event includes 10- and 5-kilometre options plus a 2-k run for children. The celebration continues afterwards with a Summer Solstice Breakfast Social.

Googoo himself got into running a few years ago and noticed the positive environment in the running community. He felt a race would build on the positive strides of popular running programs in Millbrook: the Running Rez Chicks and Running

Rez Kids and the Millbrook Fun Run.

Googoo said running has always been a part of Mi’kmaw culture.

“Traditionally back in the day messengers between communities used to be runners,” said Googoo. “There are historic accounts of runners going from here to Maine.”

The Maritime Indian Games, and later the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Games, carried on this tradition with Scroll Runners opening the athletic competitions much the same as the Olympics has Torch Runners.

[Off and running – scroll runners arrive in Millbrook to start Mi’kmaw Summer Games, Aug. 2015]

Last year about 150 people took part in the Ulnooweg Solstice Run and Googoo is hoping for the same or more this year.

This year he has moved the event to the weekend – the date the solstice often falls on, and Aboriginal Day, is June 21, a Wednesday.

Googoo has also updated the logo for the Millbrook run, created by Gerald Gloade, so it includes a Nova Scotia flag – that’s because Stephenville, N.L., will also be holding an Ulnooweg Summer Solstice Run this year and Googoo would eventually like to see a run in New Brunswick and P.E.I. as well.

“Everyone is welcome,” said Googoo. “The longest day of the year brings people together to celebrate the beauty of life and the value of community. We are hoping people will join our running community in celebrating healthy living and experiencing the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation.”