File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Sadie Hunter

In The Loop

HUNTER: The North American Indigenous Games — the true spirit of reconciliation in action

Apr 25, 2023 | 10:10 AM

THIS WEEKEND, Tk’emlups te Secwepemc (TteS), the City of Kamloops and the provincial government hosted the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) delegates to tour our world class facilities and amenities.

The delegates were greeted at Kamloops Airport by enthusiastic community leaders from both TteS, the City of Kamloops and various other organizations and individuals. From there, they spent their time on a tour of indoor and outdoor facilities, within the city and at TteS.

Partners involved in welcoming the delegation also included representatives from the BC Assembly of First Nations and Metis Nation British Columbia. The tour was capped off with a fun basketball game featuring Premier David Eby, Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, and Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo and a number of community members at Moccasin Square Gardens on Sunday.

This was an incredible demonstration of the strong commitment to hosting the 2027 North American Indigenous Games, which are held every four years and use a geographic rotation when choosing the next location. The 2027 bid is for the western region, and the next opportunity for this region to host is in 2039.

If successful, Tk’emlups and Kamloops would host up to 6,000 athletes, coaches, staff and performers from 756 Indigenous Nations, ages 13-to-19, to compete in 16 different sports during an eight-day period.

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The bid process in itself is a testament to the strong partnership between TteS and the City of Kamloops. When the request came to the previous council to support the games with $500,000 of in-kind support should the bid be successful, the vote was nearly unanimous. That said, the value of the games goes far beyond monetary.

The support is a direct and unequivocal show of respect for the aspirations of TteS and in the commitment to their success. It’s a recognition that when their community is successful, we all win.

In a media TteS release, Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir on behalf of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council said, “We at Tk̓emlúps appreciate the partnership and support of the City of Kamloops, the province, the Chiefs of BC and our community.”

“It was our intention to showcase to our four NAIG representatives that we not only had the capacity to host an amazing sporting event, but we had the support of community, Indigenous leaders and government on every level to ensure we could bring about a cultural experience that would create a legacy for all participants for years to come.”

I think this sentiment clearly demonstrates the stated purpose of the North American Indigenous Games which is to “help us realize the collective potential of our bodies, minds, spirit and of our people – our hopes and dreams – The Spirit Strong, Brave and True.”

The next step is for the bid committee, led by Kukpi7 Casimir, to present to a panel of 26 NAIG Council members in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on May 17. The successful proponent will be announced during the 2023 NAIG in Halifax in July this year.

Watching this process unfold makes me proud of our communities and of our commitment to reconciliation beyond words – but with concrete action. This bid would not be possible if not for the diligence, humility and dedication to building relationships and understanding. It’s a reminder of the potential generated when people are put first.

Kukwstsétsemc/thank you to everyone involved in the bid process so far, your work on behalf of our communities is invaluable.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.