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These are difficult stories. We bear witness in this chapter to the role of sport in furthering the settler colonial projects throughout Turtle Island. Here are some supports to access in the community and from a distance:
First Peoples House of Learning Cultural Support & Counselling
Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwag Services Circle (Counselling & Healing Services for Indigenous Women & their Families) – 1-800-663-2696
Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre (705) 775-0387
Peterborough Community Counselling Resource Centre: (705) 742-4258
Hope for Wellness – Indigenous help line (online chat also available) – 1-855-242-3310
LGBT Youthline: askus@youthline.ca or text (647)694-4275
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line – 1-866-925-4419
Talk4Healing (a culturally-grounded helpline for Indigenous women):1-855-5544-HEAL
Section One: History
A) The Residential School System
Exercise 1: Notebook Prompt
We are asked to honour these stories with open hearts and open minds.
Which part of the chapter stood out to you? What were your feelings as you read it? (50 words)
| What stood out to me in this chapter was the paradoxical transformation of sports from a source of happiness and social connection to a mechanism of manipulation in residential schools used to enforce control and cultural assimilation. The forced replacement of Indigenous children’s cultural games with Euro-Canadian sports during residential schooling represents an attempt to strip away their identities. I believe sports should serve as a source of empowerment because as an athlete I reject the idea of them being oppressive. The revelation that a seemingly neutral activity like a game was weaponized to eliminate Indigenous legacy caused me to feel both furious and sorrowful. The information demonstrated the enduring destructive impact colonial policies have had on Indigenous communities.
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B) Keywords
Exercise 2: Notebook Prompt
Briefly define (point form is fine) one of the keywords in the padlet (may be one that you added yourself).
Sport for Development Ideology
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C) Settler Colonialism
Exercise 3: Complete the Activities
Exercise 4: Notebook Prompt
Although we have discussed in this module how the colonial project sought to suppress Indigenous cultures, it is important to note that it also appropriates and adapts Indigenous cultures and “body movement practices” (75) as part of a larger endeavour to “make settlers Indigenous” (75).
What does this look like? (write 2 or 3 sentences)
| Settlers frequently took Indigenous dances and ceremonies and used them in ways that eliminated their original cultural and spiritual significance. The reimagining of Indigenous practices enabled settlers to create links with the land through their stories while eliminating the initial meaning and rights of Indigenous communities. Settlers used this appropriation to establish their belonging while ignoring the continuous effects of colonization. Colonial powers turned Indigenous sacred practices into tourist attractions by turning movement traditions into aesthetic displays. These practices both strengthened settler claims to land and self-definition while maintaining erasure by separating traditions from their origins and historical meanings. |
D) The Colonial Archive
Exercise 5: Complete the Activities
Section Two: Reconciliation
A) Reconciliation?
Exercise 6: Activity and Notebook Prompt
Visit the story called “The Skate” for an in-depth exploration of sport in the residential school system. At the bottom of the page you will see four questions to which you may respond by tweet, facebook message, or email:
How much freedom did you have to play as a child?
What values do we learn from different sports and games?
When residential staff took photos, what impression did they try to create?
Answer one of these questions (drawing on what you have learned in section one of this module or prior reading) and record it in your Notebook.
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What values do we learn from different sports and games? Sports and games offer us many essential values, such as teamwork and communication, and teach us to persevere and show respect to teammates and opponents alike. They develop leadership qualities as well as discipline and teach individuals how to handle success and failure with poise. Voluntary play without restrictions serves to develop both creative thinking and self-confidence. With my understanding of residential schools, it seems that the principles taught in sports often represent the agendas of authorities within this context. The purpose of sports within those institutions extended beyond personal development and functioned as a method to command obedience and suppress cultural identity while enforcing colonial standards. This signifies that the values children absorb from sport depend heavily on context: For sport offers empowerment opportunities, but on the other hand, it can be manipulated and used as a mechanism of control.
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B) Redefining Sport
B) Sport as Medicine
Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt
Make note of the many ways sport is considered medicine by the people interviewed in this video.
| The interviewed participants in the video explain that sport goes beyond physical activity and serves as medical therapy, which supports mental health and spiritual well-being. For Indigenous people, sport serves as a crucial element for emotional healing while simultaneously preserving cultural heritage and building community ties. This environment enables individuals to rediscover their identity while they speak their first language and perform heritage-based practices. People who participate in activities where they can move freely yet preserve cultural values develop strong self-esteem together with pride.
People view sport as a therapeutic tool because it supports mental health by minimizing stress levels while creating joy and establishing structure and purpose in everyday routines. The video features people who explain how sports provided them a means to handle personal challenges and overcome grief and trauma through expressive activities that built resilience. When people unite through sport, they develop solidarity and mutual support, which are necessary for individual and collective healing. Sport functions as an empowering tool for individuals. Sport enables Indigenous youth to imagine a prosperous future that celebrates their culture as their strength. Young people use sport to decolonize by regaining control over their space and confidence, which empowers them. Sport builds stronger communities through role models and intergenerational support, which makes healing a shared experience beyond the individual level. |
C) Sport For development
Exercise 7: Notebook Prompt
What does Waneek Horn-Miller mean when she says that the government is “trying but still approaching Indigenous sport development in a very colonial way”?
| According to Waneek Horn-Miller when she states that the government “tries but approaches Indigenous sport development in a very colonial way” she is suggesting that government efforts to support Indigenous sports continue to reflect colonial attitudes despite their intentions. The government enforces its own standards and approaches for Indigenous sports development instead of fully embracing Indigenous knowledge and leadership together with cultural practices. Horn-Miller asserts that Indigenous peoples must control their sports and cultural practices because they have the deepest understanding of what will strengthen and enhance their communities. The existing system preserves a hierarchy-based model which prevents Indigenous peoples from leading their cultural and sporting initiatives and keeps colonial control mechanisms active. |
Exercise 8: Padlet Prompt
Add an image or brief comment reflecting some of “binding cultural symbols that constitute Canadian hockey discourse in Canada.” Record your responses in your Notebook as well.
One of the most iconic cultural symbols associated with hockey in the Canadian national imagination is the backyard rink. This simple, homemade sheet of ice—often shoveled and flooded by parents or kids themselves—represents more than just a place to play. It’s a symbol of Canadian identity, perseverance, and the emotional bond many families share with the sport. The backyard rink embodies the values of hard work, community, and love of winter and is often romanticized in Canadian media, commercials, and storytelling as the place where dreams begin. The backyard rink demonstrates the idea that hockey remains an available game for Canadians from every background because it traditionally begins right outside people’s homes. The image of backyard rinks fails to match the actual circumstances faced by many urban dwellers and Indigenous communities with limited resources, yet it remains a powerful component of Canada’s collective consciousness. The backyard rink reminds Canadians of childhood memories and the simple pleasures that connect them deeply with the sport. |
Section Three: Decolonization
Please see the major assignment for this half of the term in the final section of this chapter.
Longer Prompt: Read the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action specific to sport again. Choose one of the Calls to Action that have been answered in full or in part and in 300 words explain the steps that have been taken to fulfill them and provide specific examples of what this looks like. Also reflect on how communities and individuals (particularly settlers) can contribute to addressing these Calls to Action.
My Response:
A Call to Action I thought was most important was the Commission’s Call to Action #88, which directs governments at every level to provide continuous support for Indigenous athlete development and the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). This helps ensure funding for hosting the games as well as team preparation and travel (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). The call to action has received significant attention through various implemented measures. In 2017 the Government of Canada allocated $18.9 million for five years to fund culturally relevant sports programs for Indigenous communities and committed to providing $5.5 million every four years onward (Government of Canada, 2017).
Financial support played a crucial role in enabling the 2017 North American Indigenous Games in Toronto which brought together over 5,000 Indigenous athletes from North America to participate in 14 sporting events. The event celebrated athletic skills while also showcasing Indigenous traditions using ceremonies and storytelling coupled with community involvement. The platform enabled Indigenous youth to develop their identity and self-confidence while simultaneously confronting Indigenous stereotypes (NAIG Council, 2017).
Settlers and other community members play an important role in this Call to Action through their support of Indigenous athletes and their sports competitions. People can support Indigenous sports by attending events while volunteering and promoting inclusive programming and learning about Indigenous sports history and its importance. Local sports organizations should make room for Indigenous cultural practices while aligning their programs with reconciliation principles. Key elements include backing Indigenous-led initiatives and paying attention to Indigenous voices. By engaging in these activities settlers will assist in breaking down systemic obstacles while advancing fairness and respect within sports settings.
References:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. Retrieved from https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1524494530110/1557511412801
Government of Canada. (2017). Budget 2017: Indigenous Sport and Recreation Funding. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/indigenous-games/investments.html
North American Indigenous Games Council. (2017). Toronto 2017 NAIG Overview. Retrieved from https://www.naigcouncil.com/wcm-docs/docs/to_2017_naig-backgrounder.pdf
