World Indigenous Games events will be spread across Treaty 6 lands
Athletes from around the world began arriving this week for the World Indigenous Games, which begin Sunday across Treaty 6 territory.
Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild was at Edmonton International Airport to meet arriving athletes Thursday.
“The message of the Games is to choose life” and to be proud of the richness of indigenous culture, said Littlechild.
He said everyone is invited to the Games and thanked the host nations for all the work involved in organizing the event.
Littlechild said that, against Canada’s tragic history of residential schools, sports provide a “bright light.”
“From that negative history comes a beautiful message,” he said. “Indigenous language and culture was forbidden in the past, but no more.”
Delegations from Panama, Paraguay, New Zealand and Russia began arriving Wednesday. Most were set to arrive Friday.
Athletes will compete in traditional competitions, such as archery, canoeing and lacrosse. Teams from around the world will showcase their traditional games and cultures during the weeklong event.
Samson Cree Nation Coun. Katherine Swampy said she hopes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett will attend some of the events, with the Games beginning while Canada celebrates 150 years since Confederation.
Swampy called Canada a “multicultural, multinational country,” but noted the country’s sesquicentennial doesn’t mean a lot to the First Nations that have lived here for thousands of years.
The Games run July 2-9. The opening ceremony will take place Monday at 7 p.m. at Bear Park in Maskwacis. This is the second World Indigenous Games. The first was held in 2015 in Palmas, Brazil.
“I invite all the public to come and join us,” said Littlechild.