We see cultural appropriation and adaption of Indigenous body movement and practice predominantly through sport, dance, and cultural activities. In an attempt for colonizers to ‘Indigenize’ themselves, these cultural body movement practices have been modified to an idealized version that better suits white people and in a way that allows them to overtake a culture that is not theirs. In sports, we see this through the overtaking and acclaiming of lacrosse as a Canadian sport with no recognition given to the deep history of its Indigenous origination. Likewise with other cultural body movement practices such as snowshoeing, we see settlers adapt this to their version despite the rich history it stems from with no regard to the cultural appropriation done by utilizing this activity as their own. These actions significantly suppress Indigenous culture and history in an attempt to ‘make settler Indigenous’.

When residential staff took photos, they were trying to create the impression that the children in their care were flourishing through the opportunities they gave them and that the children were keen to take to a colonial way of life.

The photos created a false perception that the children were well taken care of, were enjoying themselves, and were excelling in various sports to distract from the horrendous genocide, culture stripping, and abuse that the children were subject to. What was not shown in these photos was the young children forced to go outside each night in negative 40-degree weather to ski, how sports were utilized as a reward system, or how fear and threats were used to ‘motivate’ children to win.

The photos served as a way for residential school staff to appear as successful educators who excelled in forcing children to shed their culture and adapt to colonial ways of life. Despite the now-known cruel acts that took place at these residential schools, the photos of Indigenous children playing sports still have the power to falsely depict residential schools as enjoyable for the children.

Sports is considered medicine in many more ways beyond the physical. The video highlights how sports provide healing, resilience, and pride, acting as a powerful form of medicine for Indigenous peoples across generations. Through the multiple generations showcased in the video, we see the different ways sports provide medicine to each. In the older generations, specifically those impacted by the residential school system, sport is considered medicine through its ability to act as therapy and the ability for it to bring pride in their Indigenous heritage. This pride on the field specifically stemmed from their time in residential schools where on the field they would have an advantage through speaking their Indigenous languages with one another, providing them an upper hand in the game, and bringing them all a surging feeling of pride in not only themselves, but their Indigenous language and heritage as well. During the dark times of residential schools, they found healing and happiness in sport.

For the younger generation, sports remain medicinal as a way for them to honour their ancestors for granting them the freedom of sport. This freedom now allows the younger Indigenous generations to find personal refuge and overcome personal hardships through sport, which they see as a medicine within itself. Still, these younger generations feel pride in their Indigenous heritage as the older generations did, through being Indigenous on sports teams.

Beyond individual healing, resilience, and pride, sport plays a crucial role in community wellbeing. Sports serve as a progressive way of wellbeing for all Indigenous people and acts as a natural place to germinate the idea of reconciliation for all. Sport is more than just a game; sport is a healing and diverse medicine for Indigenous people and communities.

When Waneek says that the government is “trying but still approaching Indigenous sport development in a very colonial way,”I interpret this as meaning that the current approach to the development of sports for Indigenous people is superficial and negates the true meaning of what sports is to Indigenous people. As Waneek mentions, the government needs to truly understand how sports bring Indigenous people together and develop off of this. While the government did provide $53 million in funding, which is crucial to the development of Indigenous athletes and the success of Indigenous sporting events, such funding merely provides access to sports without the government having to have any knowledge of the deeper meaning of sports in Indigenous culture. Sport is more than the ability to move one’s body but is an opportunity for Indigenous people to reclaim their identity and assert who they are. The colonial idea that Indigenous sports can be reconciled through simply providing funding without having to stop to think about which strategy would best support Indigenous people and sports is the utmost form of colonial thinking. True progress will only happen when the government listens and learns from Indigenous people and communities, and respects Indigenous culture and tradition both in and outside of sport.

Image: https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/boy-playing-pond-hockey

I chose the image of children playing hockey on an outdoor rink as a prominent cultural symbol associated with hockey. As Canada is widely known for hockey being ‘our sport’, we often hear of how many people first stepped foot on the ice at an outdoor rink as a young child. This is something that binds many of us Canadians and is often where a passion for hockey, or interest in the sport, stems from. The hockey discourse in Canada is deeper than watching or playing a sport. From this young age and through participating in a game of pond hockey, we began to learn teamwork, gain a sense of community, and develop sportsmanship. To many Canadians, hockey is an integral part of their childhood and much more than just a sport.