North American Indigenous Games inspire athletes, create wave of future coaches | 24CA News
The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) wrapped up in Halifax, N.S., on Sunday after greater than 5,000 younger Indigenous athletes travelled to Mi’kma’ki to take part in 16 completely different sports activities.
Some of these athletes — Preston Seneviratne, Izzy Senevirante and Kirin Bullock with 26 medals collectively — helped Team BC obtain second-place standing within the medal rely.
Swimmers normally lapped the competitors with simply 20 teammates coming house with greater than 60 medals. But the video games are about extra than simply successful, they’re about highlighting Indigenous sport and making cross-cultural connections.
“For me, it was about representing my community, my host club and getting to swim with my brother,” stated Izzy.
“I wanted to be able to meet other Indigenous youth who liked the same sport as me,” added Kirin.
The province’s contingent was one of many greatest and Team BC travelled to the video games on three chartered flights carrying a minimum of 500 athletes.
“When we first got on the plane, you could tell from the start everyone was ready for the Games,” stated Izzy. “Even though we were there for different sports, we were all like cheering each other on.”
The Games put tradition on the forefront together with a gap ceremony hosted by the Mi’kmaq folks and a cultural village; every workforce was inspired to deliver pins they may commerce with different athletes.
“I feel like pin trading was one of the only ways that I got to meet other Indigenous youth from other places,” stated Izzy. “It was kind of like a conversation starter, you’d go up to people and it wasn’t as awkward.”
For many city Indigenous youth, NAIG is one in all their first massive cultural occasions. Preston, Izzy and Kirin are all from Maple Ridge, B.C., and stated the video games had been that for them.
“There were a lot of performances and demonstrations and vendors that were really cool to see,” stated Izzy. “Especially at the cultural village, getting to talk to some elders, (Mi’kmaq) and ask them about their culture … ,I felt a lot more connected and not as alone.”
Team BC’s swim workforce received over 60 of the 160 medals Team BC received on the North American Indigenous Games.
Billie Fletcher
All three swimmers got here house with medals — Izzy successful 5 gold and three silver; Preston successful three gold and 6 silver; Kirin successful 5 gold, three silver and one bronze.
They stated they’re grateful for the expertise that they had at NAIG and hope to remain concerned within the Games so long as they’ll.
“I just graduated high school, so I’m actually going to swim for the University of Alberta in September,” stated Izzy. “I’m pretty sure the next NAIG is in four years and I was kind of hoping to coach … it would be fun to experience it both as an athlete and as a coach.”
“I would love to do swimming as long as I can, and I would also like to keep up with NAIG as long as I can,” added Preston. “I’m able to swim for Team B.C. again, but after that, I would also love to be a coach.”
Their mother, Billie Fletcher, couldn’t be extra proud.
“It’s so hard to really fully describe all the opportunity that is provided,” stated Fletcher. “I grew up an urban Indigenous person in a time when blending in and being in the shadows was way safer than being open and embracing any kind of culture.”
Fletcher travelled to the video games with Team BC as a chaperone. She stated having the ability to help her children and others was an honour and a privilege.
“The entire experience for myself, for the coaches, for the athletes, it’s transformative,” she stated. “You get to be you, get to be proud, you get to be full of culture and and not worry about judgment.”
“This is how we can get back to being whole people is by being in places where you’re accepted; being in places where you can compete; being in places where you just are safe and you can express yourself authentically as an authentic Indigenous person.”
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