The North American Indigenous Games

February-March 2003

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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Athletic competition and games have been part of the social and cultural life of aboriginal peoples for countless generations. In modern times, aboriginal individuals and communities have become active in many different sporting events, including basketball, soccer, lacrosse, war canoe racing and many others. It is in the spirit of both traditional and contemporary aboriginal sports that the dream of an Indigenous Games was born in 1972 during the first organizing meeting of the National Indian Athletic Association in Reno, Nevada.

The idea was the brainchild of J. Wilton Littlechild, a Cree of the Ermineskin Band in Hobbema, Alberta. He shared the idea with John Thomas Fletcher, a Peigan from Edmonton, Alberta, but it would be several years before the concept began to develop. In 1977, Littlechild made a presentation to the World Council of Indigenous Peoples in Kiruna, Sweden, and was enthusiastically received. One chief from Brazil was so moved by the presentation that he presented Littlechild with a sacred arrow.

In the mid-1980s, Littlechild and Fletcher began communicating their idea for the games to supporters throughout Canada and the United States.

By 1990, the dream of the games culminated in the first North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), held in Edmonton, Alberta. The second Games were held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in 1993, followed by Blaine, Minnesota in 1995; Victoria, British Columbia in 1997; and Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2002. The next games will be held in 2005 in Buffalo, New York. Participants in the North American Indigenous Games compete in 16 Olympic-style sports, of which canoeing is one of three traditional indigenous sports.

The NAIG canoeing competition consists of male and female singles, doubles and mixed doubles for Bantam, Midget, Juvenile, Junior and Senior classifications in the 1000 metre, 3000 metre, 6000 metre and 10000 metre events. The canoeing events adhere to the most recent version of the Marathon Canoe Racing Competition Rules under the Canadian Canoeing Association (CCA).

For further info on the NAIG, contact Sandra Roach (204-984-0094) or Harold Joseph,

NAIG Council Chair (harold_ joseph@msvl.wednet.edu).

Thanks to Gordon Ali and Frank Nelson.